In the Oven

Well it's another in the oven post. Looks like my posts for the next month are going to be dedicated to either making something in the kitchen, outings(if we get a chance to get out) and progress made on our "new to me" house! Yup, we are moving. My husband owns a house, that is near to where we are now, that his ex-wife and kids had been living in but she is moving in with her fiancé. So we will be taking over the house and living with his teenage twins.

So I've got to get all my stuff packed up (and I'm starting with my sewing supplies), pick out new appliances for our house, paint all the rooms, get the floors redone in many of the rooms and clean the new house up. So I guess the coming posts (if I get a chance) will be all about what's going on at the new house.

In the meantime, I made something yummy!
Tomatoes were on super sale at the grocery store the other day. So I picked out a bag full to roast.

I took my Roma Tomatoes, cut them in half and scooped out all the seeds. I drizzled Olive Oil, minced garlic, fresh thyme, salt and ground black pepper all over them. Placed them on parchment paper on my baking sheet and popped them in a preheated 275 degree(F) oven. I baked them for one hour, flipped them and baked for another hour. I then let them rest in the oven for ten minutes with the heat off.

Aren't they pretty?! I'm gonna place them in a freezer bag (they can last in the freezer for 6 months) to use in a pasta dish in the coming weeks.

Of course, I couldn't resist placing one on a piece of toasted sourdough with some mozzarella for a snack! Yum.

Sunshine Glaze

I'm in such a baking mood. Which is probably absolutely, crazy considering it's so hot here in Southern California, summer decided to finally appear! I was searching for a cupcake recipe on my favorite site and came across a recipe for Glazed Doughnut Muffins. OMG! How could I pass up this recipe? Plus it was so basic, that I had everything already in the pantry...no need to run to the store makes for a perfect recipe.

They look like doughnuts!!!

The perfect rise!

Oh and the glaze! The glaze!

The sunshine to my day.

You have to make these! So easy. They taste amazing. Doughnut muffin and a cup of coffee, the start to a perfect day.

Glazed Doughnut Muffins

For the Batter
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 to 1 ¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste (I used ¾)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

For the Glaze
3 tablespoons butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons hot water

Directions1) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin. Or line with 12 paper muffin cups, and grease the cups with non-stick vegetable oil spray; this will ensure that they peel off the muffins nicely.
2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth.
3) Add the eggs, beating to combine.
4) Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.
5) Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
6) Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.
7) Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they’re a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.
8.) In a medium bowl, prepare the glaze by mixing together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and water. Whisk until smooth.
9.) When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden. At this point, you can leave them as is or go for the double dip. I glazed my muffins twice.
10.) Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Muffins will keep at room temperature for about a day.