SWEET POTATO MUFFIN MIX

Sure has been a long time since I’ve been able to blog, but I started working outside of the home and BOY! am I amazed at how working moms do it all.  My laundry hasn’t been put away it what seems like months!

Anyway,  I’m going to try to keep up with atleast one blog a week.  So here’s the start:

I received this muffin mix as a Christmas gift and I’m trying really hard to empty my pantry of ‘processed’ foods and ‘junk’.  Today I had a busy cooking day and I decided to whip these up as a treat (or breakfast.)  Well, I am far from being a great baker, mainly due to the fact that I like to wing it.  Baking is so constricting.  All these rules to follow.  Measuring.  Timing.  Watching.  Just not my gig really.  Here’s the perfect example.  This is a pre-measured mix.  All I had to do was add some milk, butter and an egg.  Sure does sound simple enough.  Thought I would save myself some clean-up by using cupcake liners.  The package didn’t say to use them, but can’t you always?  NO.  The answer is definitely no.  If a recipe says to fill halfway in greased muffin cups, it means fill halfway in GREASED MUFFIN CUPS.

MY MUFFINS

So they taste great ( the half/muffin that you get due to the sticking paper.)  But I learned that baking ALWAYS means following directions.

Sincerely,

Miss Know-it-All

Although I grew up in the city, my family is now way out in the southwestern suburbs creating a minimum of an hour commute, not figuring in the traffic.  Why then am I awake now, at 1:34 a.m. when my cell phone’s alarm is set to a bright and early 6:42 ( on loud beeps, mind you ) when tomorrow will be such a long, full day of chaos, crowds and even possibly a tantrum or two?  It’s the Fries!!! Could even be the funnel cakes, or even the cotton candy.  I really can’t pinpoint it, but the memories of these once a year treats has me awake at the keyboard.  I managed to get the girls to sleep at a relatively decent hour of 10 p.m. yet here I am thinking about all the little things  I need to remember in the morning, the bandaids, the jackets, some baggies for cell phones and cameras….but the truth is, I’m excited!  I can not wait to get on the Kangaroo and laugh ’til I scream.  And finally- my youngest will be able to ride most anything she wishes.  For years I thought I would always either be pregnant or pushing a stroller-how time flies!  I’m so grateful that I can still get this excited over anything besides a great tax return.  Guess I’m not that old after all!

So, share with me your hometown faves.  We have a ton here in the ‘Burgh- I’m sure I won’t be able to resist filling you in.

Also, I am somewhat green.  I use that term loosely, I have not yet switched to eco-friendly toilet paper.  But- I do avoid chemicals as much as possible.  This is mainly because I have a very high sensitivity to all things chemical and fragranced.  When I became a mother, I became even more aware of some of the toxicities that come along with cleaning with too many chemicals.  So here on this page I am going to give you some of my tips that I have picked up along the way for keeping house in a safe and simple (usually more affordable) way.  I hope you can use some of them, or atleast give them a shot.

I know the sun is finally shining and everyone’s lounging at the pool- but I need to get this written down before I forget it.  That’s how it works with me and cooking.  I try something out, it’s fantastic, then POOF! it floats into the oblivion of  my To Do  lists and Laundry Mountain.

So here is my take on the yummy warms up your tummy Baked Potato Soup:

• 6 good size potatoes ( I used regular old Idahos) peeled and cubed
• 2 onions chopped big
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped big again
• 1 quart chicken broth
• water to cover
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 jar of alfredo sauce ( I used ALDI’s brand and it was just fine)

TOPPINGS: (optional)

• Bacon (TIP- I get some crumbled bacon from the groceries salad bar- it’s cheap and easy, cooked bacon doesn’t weigh much
• sliced green onions
• shredded cheddar or other cheese of choice

So you put your cubed potatoes, onions, celery and broth in a nice heavy bottomed pot and add water to cover by atleast a few inches.  Get that up to a boil and simmer til the potatoes are good and soft.  I then use my immersion blender ( a tool I cannot live without!) and puree up your soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender (you should really get one) but you could just use your potato masher and really go to town, in this case you would also want to chop your celery and onions finer.

Give it a taste, see how much salt and pepper you need to add. ( I am easy on the salt when I first make this.  )  Next add about 1/2 the jar of Alfredo sauce and There You Go!

Slice up some nice hard bread, ladle up a few bowls and add your toppings of choice.  Hope you enjoy!