Pumpkin Spice Muffin

3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 small packages (1/4 cup each) dried fruit and nut mixes (I used Trader Joe's Omega Trek Mix)

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
2.Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in the fruit and nut mix.
3.Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Curried Egg Salad

1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
6 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
1 cup diced (1/4-inch) Granny Smith apple (from 1 apple)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, mustard, salt, and cayenne in a bowl until combined. Add eggs, apple, onion, and cilantro and stir to combine.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 cup 1% reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup finely chopped Gala apple
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:

1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place muffin cup liners in 12 muffin cups

3. Measure 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and baking soda in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, cream cheese, and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add almond extract, vanilla, and egg to sugar mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Combine yogurt and 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until well blended. Combine apple and 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl; toss well.

4. Add flour mixture and yogurt mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended. Fold in apple mixture and walnuts. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

5. Combine brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake at 350° for 27 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack, and remove the muffins from pan.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup raspberries

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2.In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, egg, and lemon extract. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended. Gently stir in the raspberries. Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining sugar over the tops for decoration, if desired.
3.Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the tin on a wire rack.

White chocolate chip cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups white chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mango Salsa

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon ectra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate at least for an hour

Caged Innocence

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