Baked Goods, In The Kitchen

Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins

These are super yummy and pretty healthy. You can have them for a quick breakfast on the go or an afternoon snack. These hardly take any time to make, so they’re great if you’re feeling like baking during the week or want a warm muffin on a weekend morning.

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Personally, I love settling down with a book and a hot cup of black tea and a muffin in the late afternoon because I eat dinner so late. I like to fill my muffins with texture and flavor. The oatmeal has a great chew; the raspberry brings a tart softness; and I add pecans for small crunch in every bite.

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups of oatmeal (quick oats or regular oats work)
  • 1 ¼ cups of flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup pecans (optional)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup of vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup of raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease the muffin tins. I like to use liners and grease the liners with butter. More flavor!
  • In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients.
  • In a smaller bowl mix together wet ingredients.
  • Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Combine until well mixed. Fold raspberries into the mixture – do not beat raspberries into mixture.
  • Fill the muffin tins ¾ of the way full.
  • Bake for 20 to 23 minutes. They will be golden brown at the top and cooked all the way through when pierced with a toothpick.
  • Cool on cooling rack for five minutes before devouring.

Variations

  • You can use blueberries or blackberries instead of raspberries.
  • Pecans are optional, but you can substitute almonds or walnuts.
  • Add a teaspoon of cinnamon for extra zing!
Baked Goods, In The Kitchen

Banana Bread Surprise

Banana Bread Surprise

It’s not a secret I like to eat… or cook… or bake. If you follow along on Instagram, you’ll probably see the ridiculous amount of things I consume by way of my stories. I like food. Nay, I love food. It’s the perfect partner while reading.*

I have always had a soft spot for banana bread. It’s the right amount of sweet and nutty because I fill mine up with nuts. The other day, I was craving banana bread and cheesecake simultaneously. I decided to make banana bread. I wanted to add a little something extra because I’m adventurous like that. You can imagine where this is going… Banana bread with a cheesecake surprise filling!!! “How?” you ask… I’ll tell you because we’re friends!

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Ingredients
Banana Bread

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup crushed nuts *optional* (I prefer pecans but walnuts are great too)

Cheesecake Filling

  1. 8 oz cream cheese
  2. 1 egg
  3. ½ cup sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F, and butter a 4×8-inch loaf pan.
  • In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, egg, and sugar until smooth. Set aside for later.
  • In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Then on high speed mix butter and sugar into mashed banana until light and fluffy.
  • Mix in the egg. Add baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.
  • Fold in the nuts.
  • Pour half of the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Pour the cream cheese mixture onto the batter. Then pour the remaining batter to cover the cream cheese mixture.
  • Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving.
  • When slicing there should be a layer of cheesecake between the banana bread layers.
I came up with this idea because I have weird cravings, which are absolutely not pregnancy related! I am just a weirdie. It looks like a normal loaf of banana bread until you cut into it.

I explained this recipe to several people. Several were hesitant, but they all tried it. Much to their surprise, I’m a secret genius… I ended up making a few batches because it was so popular!

*Aside from my dog, but she is a given. Assume Beau is the best pawtner in everything I do!

 

Baked Goods, In The Kitchen

Thumbprint Cookies

I love baking. In my family, like many others, recipes become part of the landscape of our lives. The recipes are handed down through generations.

Thumbprint cookies are some of my favorite cookies, and they come straight from my Great Grandmother’s recipe box. Although, she never baked them for me, my mom always did. I had never baked them myself until last year because they were always her specialty, and I was teensy bit scared I would ruin them. They’re amazing throughout the year, but I grew up with them during the Christmas season. They melt in your mouth with a nutty outside. Not too sweet, you can eat dozens of them if you’re not careful! I absolutely adore them with a cup of black tea and a book. The perfect afternoon snack.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter
  • ½ cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs Yolks
  • 2 Egg Whites Beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 2 cups Flour
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • Chopped Nuts (I prefer pecans or walnuts)
  • Favorite Jam or Frosting

 

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350॰ F. Ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Mix together butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Blend well.
  • Roll dough into balls. Dip the balls in egg whites then roll in chopped nuts. I rolled them in pecans this time. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet at least an inch and a half a part.
  • Bake for five minutes. Take out and press thumb into the middle of the cookie to create a shallow bowl. Put back in oven and bake for eight more minutes.
  • Pull cookies out of the oven when golden brown and firm to the touch.
  • Cool completely
  • Fill the thumbprint with your favorite jam or frosting or leave unfilled! My favorites are blackberry jam, buttercream frosting, or pastry cream. They’re so delicious!
 
 

 

Drinks, In The Kitchen

Hot Cocoa

Christmas has come and gone, but winter will still be here for awhile. I am a firm believer reading should be accompanied by a warm drink. I am usually found with a cup of tea in my hand. Sometimes coffee. In the winter, always hot cocoa. I grew up with hot cocoa being a special winter drink enjoyed from Thanksgiving until the snow cleared. I grew up sipping my mom’s recipe.

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Over the years, I have honed my own recipe, which has become beloved by friends. It’s rich and chocolaty because that’s exactly what cocoa should be.

Ingredients
  • Milk
  • Chocolate (Preferably semi-sweet baker’s chocolate, but chocolate chips will do)
  • Sugar
  • Marshmallows

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  1. Grab your favorite mug. Fill it with milk.
  2. In a medium pan put three ounces (or more if you like it chocolaty) of your favorite chocolate and a tablespoon of sugar with a quarter of the milk from your mug. Over medium heat using a whisk melt the sugar and chocolate until the mixture is thick.
  3. Pour the rest of the milk from the mug into the pan. Continue stirring continuously until boiling
  4. Pour the hot chocolate into the mug, add marshmallows and enjoy!!!

I love hot chocolate plain, but over the years, I have come up with fun variations to add a little something extra to it. Here are some of my favorites.

Peppermint Cocoa

  • Take a candy cane and crush it up. Add half of the crushed candy cane to the pan with the milk. Once the cocoa is in the cup, sprinkle the candy cane pieces over the marshmallows for a pretty look.

Espresso Cocoa

  • Add a shot of espresso to the pan with the milk. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can use a tablespoon of instant espresso/coffee at the beginning to melt with the chocolate and sugar. It will add caffeine and extra yumminess for the coffee lovers. A great way to start the day at the office!

Boozy Cocoa

  • After the cocoa is made and in the mug, add a shot to your cocoa. You don’t want to put the alcohol in the pan while it’s cooking because you’ll boil away the alcohol. It’s a fun addition to a cozy girls’ night, romantic evening, ski trip, or any number of fun activities.

Best Boozes:

  • Peppermint Schnapps
  • Kahlua
  • Vanilla Vodka
  • Spiced Rum
  • Whipped Cream Vodka
  • Bailey’s
Eateries, Houston

State of Grace

I found out about State of Grace through the Instagram rabbit hole, go figure. The food looked too yummy to pass up. After following them for a solid eight months, I finally made a reservation for brunch. I pulled up to the restaurant to see they have complimentary valet parking. I had no cash to tip – no one should be that dick. I parked on the street, where there was tons of parking.

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Walking into the entrance of the restaurant I was taken aback by the beautiful decor. To the front is a round bar, which dominates the Instagram-scape for the restaurant. The bar has tons of windows and a brightness to it coming from the light colors. There are several areas for diners, some more private than others. Gold is a recurring color throughout whether it is darker or brighter.

I would love to tell you I hadn’t looked over the menu repeatedly, but I had. I still had a problem choosing what I wanted to eat because it all looked so good. I was finally able to narrow my order down from the entire menu to two appetizers, two entrees, lattes, and dessert. The burrata was amazing! One of the more creative burrata dishes I have had. The biscuit with proscuitto and jam was absolutely lovely; the kind of biscuit reminiscent of my great grandmothers. The chicken fried steak was phenomenal. The shrimp and grits was bland. Not my favorite, but everything else made up for it. I had to try both the bacon and the sausage… Amazing. The bacon is candied. The sausage is made in house.

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The service is truly amazing. They were kind and helpful with suggestions. The server knew a lot about the restaurant and the process. The seating was really comfortable, and once I had stuffed myself, I had a hard time convincing myself to get up.

One of my favorite parts of the restaurant is leaving… This sounds bad, but it’s not. As you walk out, they offer gingersnap moon pies. Ohhhh so good. I would have eaten four or twenty-seven if that had been an option.

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I definitely want to go back for Sunday Supper, which they just started. It’s several courses for almost thirty dollars a person. Which really is not bad. I spent more per person on brunch. Although, you don’t have to because I just like to stuff my face when I go out to eat.

It’s a great place to read. There is so much upholstery it dampens the noise level, which would probably be quite high otherwise. If seated in a booth, it is incredibly comfortable to sit back and read while sipping on a coffee.

State of Grace
3258 Westheimer Road
Houston, Texas 77098

 

 

   

 

Eateries, Houston

Snooze an A.M. Eatery

I am a huge fan of food. I love cooking just slightly less than I love eating, and I love eating just barely less than I love reading. For me, eating and reading are intrinsically linked in my heart. In my humble opinion, the best way to start the day is a hearty helping of nourishment for the body and the soul. Snooze an A.M. Eatery is a fabulous place to do just that! I love eating, so I’m trying to eat my way through the multitudinous neighborhoods of Houston. I am trying my hardest not to repeat, but I failed.

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The first time I went to Snooze was in March. A friend was visiting from out of town, and we were looking for somewhere memorable to brunch on a Wednesday midmorning. After some digging through Yelp, Zagat, and Instagram we decided on Snooze. Figuring it was 10:45 on a Wednesday, we didn’t think there would be a wait. Woah. Were we wrong. We ended up waiting for forty-five minutes before being seated. It was worth the wait. I had the breakfast pot pie: yum. I don’t recall what she had, but it was sweet and delicious.

Yesterday morning, I broke my one time rule for restaurants. 

I had to be up dreadfully early this morning. After my obligations were fulfilled, I decided breakfast was in order. It was only 8:30, and I was on the south side of downtown Houston, which, with the traffic, is anywhere between twenty minutes and an hour away from my home. Since I was only a 1.2 miles from Snooze, I decided it was a must.

I enjoyed the Benny Duo. Basically, it’s for those indecisive people who can’t choose just one Eggs Benedict. So I had the Bella Bella Benny and the Summer Benny (or whatever it was called). The Summer one consisted of a pesto quinoa patty topped with a poached egg, caprese salad, cream cheese hollandaise, and balsamic glaze. Delicious. The Bella Bella Benny was prosciutto, a poached egg, cream cheese hollandaise sauce, balsamic glaze piled on top of a ciabatta accompanied with a arugula salad. This one was my favorite. I love prosciutto. When on a sandwich, I like it a bit thicker cut. Snooze did not disappoint with their thicker slices. So, so, so good. Snooze also has a load of drinks – alcoholic and non. Since I’m not a drinker and it was 8:30 on a Tuesday morning, I decided to stick with a classic: a hazelnut latte with almond milk.

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I love the decor. It’s upbeat 50’s. They play music from all over the decades. There’s not tons of waiting room inside. There is a patio to hang out on while you wait because you will wait. It is known in Houston as one of the best breakfast/brunch spots in town, and it’s true. Snooze is fun, laid back, and yummy. It is also inexpensive! I love splurging, but for the day-to-day life, I prefer keeping it affordable, so I can buy books.

The atmosphere is fun, and the noise is what you would expect of a bopping breakfast joint. I read without a problem. You will not be alone in your solitary reading. I saw a whole bunch of readers ensconced in their books!

Snooze an A.M. Eatery
3217 Montrose Blvd Suite 100
Houston, TX 77006
Daily 6:30am – 2:30pm
713.574.6655
Instagram: @snoozeameatery