Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Buttermilk Apple Muffins..from a while ago!

I don't actually want to acknowledge how long I've been partially writing this post. Let's just say that my apples were purchased in the fall and the muffins were baked then too!!! Ah well, better late than never! 

I know that I've mentioned before that I adore apples! I think they're fantastic and when they are in season, they make my life better! The only thing that made apples better was spending the day with this little bugger while hunting for perfect pumpkins and buying apples too:

 
This is my youngest brother Jordan! He was vital in helping me find just the right apples for these delicious muffins. This kid was a trooper as we hiked through the pumpkin patch and froze our buns off trying to find perfect pumpkins. It was a day of broken pumpkins and cold weather but we had so much fun! Anywhoo, back to the muffins!

The 20 Minute Supper Club, which is now owned and operated by Canadian Family, still has some of the best recipes that I've seen both for meals as well as snacks. I decided to try their recipe for Buttermilk Apple Cake but I decided to make them as Buttermilk Apple muffins instead. I'm a big fan of muffins for breakfast or a snack and even more if they're fruit filled. These muffins fit the bill all around. 

Gorgeous, heavenly apples
The filling for between the layers of dough.
The recipe calls for leaving the skin on... I will next time but I peeled most of mine this time around. So there was slightly less fiber in these than the recipe calls for.
I love all of the good bits in the batter - flax, whole wheat flour and buttermilk. Be sure not to overmix the batter!
Fill the muffin cups half way, add some of the brown sugar topping, and then add another dollop of batter on top!


These muffins aren't overly sweet but the apples help make them delicious!!!
I found that this recipe makes 12 muffins which is just perfect. I also think next time I'll add more apples. 

Buttermilk Apple Cake

Ingredients
  • 1/4 Cups butter, softened
  • 2/3 Cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 Cups buttermilk
  • 1 Cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 Cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 6 apples, finely chopped (leave skin on for more fibre) - I used macintosh apples
  • 1/4 Cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  •  
    1. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until combined. Beat in buttermilk.
    2. In another bowl, combine flours, flax, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt. Add to buttermilk mixture and stir well. Add apples and mix until combined. Fill each lined muffin cup just slightly less than halfway with the batter.
    3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle onto batter in each muffin cup. Top each muffin with a dollop of remaining batter.
    4. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan.
    Happy Baking Everyone!!!
    t

    Sunday, September 25, 2011

    Mini-Getaway meets Foodie-Filled-Weekend

    Happy Sunday!

    I keep reminding myself that I have tons of things that I want to post and then time keeps slipping away! Thus, now I'm playing a little bit of catch up!

    Last weekend I escaped Oakville/Toronto for a mini getaway to Kemptville, ON to visit my darling friend, JP! (I'm searching for a photo of us but I think it's on my external hard drive... stay tuned - I WILL find it!) JP and I have been friends for about 10 years now and we met while our younger brother's played baseball together.

    **UPDATE** I found the photo!
     JP, along with his amazing (!) sister, Gianna, and I became friends because we were always at games together and it was just nice to have someone to talk to who wasn't an adult.
    Gianna and I at her birthday a few years ago
    Needless to say, our brother's are no longer baseball teammates but we've all kept in touch over the years. This past February, JP moved to Kemptville and for months now we've been talking about me coming to visit. Well, my dears, last weekend I ventured and had the most amazing weekend ever!

    What was originally just going to be a weekend of us hanging out really turned into quite the 'foodie' weekend. JP is very lucky to live within a very short walking distance of two Farmer's Markets. One is a community project where local farmers all contribute produce and the proceeds go to charity! Saturday morning we headed out to visit this market while on the grand tour of Kemptville and the man who runs this stand was so nice! Not only was he full of information about all of the produce but I even left with a free veggie to try. I don't know if you've ever seen a kohlrabi, but it's definitely a bit of an intimidating thing at first glance.
    Photo from More Chic than Shabby
    Kohlrabi has been described as the German turnip and I'm hoping to try it this week! I will let you know how it all goes! Look at some of the other gorgeous things that this market has to offer!


    Purple beans!?!?! I've never seen these before!
    On Sunday, before heading to the train station to come home, JP took me to a second market that was absolutely massive! It runs late on Sunday afternoons and I have never seen so many stands at a market ever! I, being a little depressed that I was going home, didn't take any photos but I will tell you that I bought some very delicious classic shortbread (that DEFINITELY made the sad train ride home a little less sad) as well as the most wonderful crab apple jelly!

    Beyond visiting and touring Kemptville, I was also spoiled and got to check out Merrickville too! Merrickville has some lovely lochs that I was really hoping to see in full action but unfortunately we only caught the end of some loch-esque movement. Regardless, I was a happy camper:
    Yay, that is one happy gal!
    I'm hopeful to go back and visit again soon (hopefully I'll be asked to come back!). I hope that you guys all get a chance to scope out the local farmer's markets wherever you go! I'm telling you, those farmers are some of the most amazing people that I have ever met. Plus, you can't go wrong with actually knowing who is growing your food, where it comes from and what the best ways to cook it is! Trust your farmers! They know a whole heck of a lot!

    And on that note, this gal is off to bed! I hope you all have an amazing week filled with delicious food!

    Happy Cooking!

    tamara