Blueberry Muffin Cake

This is what I made for work after coming back from my vacation. (Which was back the end of May into the first week of June.  I have my posts done for 2 months ahead.) The guys were having with-drawls from not having a dessert 2 weeks in a row.   Truth be told i really didn't feel like making anything because I'm pooped, I've been working in the yard for the past 3 days trying to get my flower beds cleaned up and a bunch of new plants planted.  Boy what a chore.  This AM my daughter and I planted our tomatoes, eggplant, beans, corn and cucumber plants.  Another chore. 

adapted from here 

Crumb Topping

¾ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup butter, room temperature
¾ cup milk
1 egg
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries

Glaze

½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C
2. Spray a 9" Spring-form pan with nonstick spray and set aside, *I lined the bottom with parchment paper and sprayed that.
3. In a medium bowl combine all the Crumb ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until they are blended. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl mix together all the cake ingredients except the blueberries and mix until mostly smooth. Fold in the blueberries.
5. Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan and top evenly with the crumb topping.
6. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a butter knife and then remove the sides of the pan.
8. For the glaze mix together all the ingredients together until smooth and then drizzle on top of the cake.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.  (I bet a scoop of ice cream would be good on top)

Thanks for taking time to stop by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find  the Time to Do ALL the things You L♥ve.
Donna

Another Scratch Brownie

These are the brownies I made for my special friend.  He loves goodies and brownies are one of his favorites.  This is a super easy recipe and makes a 9x13 pan so you'll have plenty.  I think these are a must try.
Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Flour
• ½ cup Cake Flour
• 1 cup Cocoa Powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1½ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks or Chips (I used a Large Hersey Bar chopped)
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• *Optional: add 8 ounce jar Dulce de Leche. Carefully heat in microwave. Swirl in 4 ounces into batter. Bake. Top brownies with remaining Dulce de Leche.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla.
3. Stir in flour, cake flour, cocoa, and salt until mixed together.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Pour into 9 x 13 pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 28-36 minutes.
7. *Adapted from I am Baker's decadent brownies

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things you L♥ve.

Donna

Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies

Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies

Every year at work starting July 29 and for 3 days we have what's called "Turn".  It's a time when most leases end and old tenants move out and the new get ready to move in.  We usually have about 3-5 days to get units ready.  The painting crew that comes in and does this work for us works those 3 days straight and by the end of it most of them are real punchy.  I try to make them goodies for the last day.  This year this was one of them.  I also made the head painter carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (his favorite) and the owner of the company(by special request) I made him brownies from scratch (which was a new receipe).   I will share these recipes over the next two weeks.

Serves: 26-28 large cookies or 60 regular

Ingredients

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 cup cocktail peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 12 oz milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat for 3 minutes until smooth, fluffy and light beige in color. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Stop to scrape the bowl periodically so all of the ingredients fully combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients gradually while beating on low speed, mixing well between each addition.
5. Repeat until all of the dry ingredients have been added, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. After all of the dry ingredients have been added, increase the speed of the mixer and beat for 1 minute.
7. Use a large non-stick spatula to mix in the quick-cooking oats, peanuts, milk chocolate chips and sweetened flaked coconut by hand. The batter will be stiff.
8. Use a 4 oz ice cream scoop or the small scoop (which I used) to separate the dough. Place the dough rounds at least 3-inches apart on the baking sheet. Press the centers to flatten slightly for even baking.
9. Bake for 16-18 minutes until lightly golden.
10. Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Thanks  for stopping by,  have a great week and always Remember to Find the Time to DO ALL the thing You L♥ve.
Donna

Chocolate zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting

This was another work treat back in July.  My co workers all love chocolate and cream cheese so thought this would be nice change.  I usually don't make the zucchini cakes with chocolate but thought what they hey, it should be good, RIGHT??  And it was. 
It was a big hit, everyone really loved it.  

 adapted from here

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 ground nutmeg (use fresh)
1/4  tsp ground ginger
3 TBL cocoa powder
2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (150g) packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup (120g) applesauce
1/2 cup (83g) plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (344g) finely grated unpeeled zucchini (grate on small holes of box grater. About 2 - 2 1/2 medium zucchini)
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, softened slightly
1/2 cup butter, softened (preferably 1/4 cup salted and 1/4 cup unsalted)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (228g) powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder and ginger for 30 seconds, set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl stir together granulated sugar and light-brown sugar (break up any clumps with your fingertips). Whisk in vegetable oil, applesauce and Greek yogurt until well blended. Add in eggs and vanilla mix until well blended. Stir in grated zucchini. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined. Pour mixture into a buttered 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Bake in preheated oven 32 - 35 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (no batter). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting (cover with plastic wrap leaving a small opening on one corner after about 30 minute of cooling to seal in moisture). Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting sprinkle with nuts if desired (or decorate as desired) and cut into squares.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Blend in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things Y♥u L♥ve.
Donna