Just sharing photos of a floral arrangement that I made for the B&B today …
Wishing you sunny spirits!
Laurie
Tag Archives: The Morning Star Bed & Breakfast
Happy Valentine’s Day with Raspberry Muffins
We’ve been having Valentine’s Day themed breakfast specials all week long at The Morning Star. One of the items that I served this morning was Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins. We also had Nutella French Toast and Bagels with Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese today in addition to our regular menu. It was a very festive breakfast this morning as it has been all week!
Valentine’s Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins
(makes 10 – 12)
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. granulated white sugar, plus extra for topping
1 T. baking powder
8 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 c. low fat buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 t. orange extract
2 c. frozen raspberries
(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare 12 standard muffin cups or 10 eight-ounce ramekins with butter and flour or baking spray.
(2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 c. sugar and baking powder. Set aside.
(3) Whisk together butter, buttermilk, eggs and orange extract. Stir mixture into dry ingredients. Fold in raspberries.
(4) Divide batter into prepared muffin cups or ramekins. Using the back of a spoon, shape each cup of batter into a light mound. Sprinkle batter with granulated white sugar. If using ramekins, place them on two baking sheets before putting in the oven. Bake muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Muffins are firm to the touch when done.
Enjoy! Happy Valentine’s Day!
2LC Monthly Cooking Challenge: Mexican Wedding Cookies
Thank you once again to Bebe and Ridha for hosting this month’s Two Little Chefettes Cooking Challenge. The theme for this month is nuts. I just made a batch of Mexican Wedding Cookies – the pecan version – to put out for our guests. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!
Mexican Wedding Cookies*
Makes about 32
Known by various names, including Russian Tea Cakes, these buttery nut cookies, rolled in confectioner’s sugar, are good for entertaining because you can make them up to a week ahead of time and store them in an airtight container without any loss of quality.
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
2 T. confectioner’s sugar + about 1/2 c. extra for rolling cookies
1 t. vanilla extract*
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. pecans or walnuts finely chopped or ground to the texture of coarse kosher salt
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 T. of the confectioner’s sugar and the vanilla extract. On lowest speed, beat in flour and then nuts. The mixture will be very crumbly.
- Spoon a small about (about 1 heaping teaspoon) of mixture into one of your palms. Squeeze lightly until the mixture holds together then shape into a ball. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, spacing the balls well apart on the 2 baking sheets.
- Bake for about 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom. Place baking sheets on wire racks and allow cookies to cool. Once cool, roll the cookies in confectioner’s sugar until well coated. If desired, roll a second time.
* This recipe is from my cookbook, Confectionately Yours: A Collection of Cookies, Candies & Yummy Confections.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Illumination
From this morning … a photo of one of our stained glass lampshades.
From a few summers ago … a photo of our house at dusk.
A Snowy End to 2012
It has been snowing here almost all of this, the last day of December … a heavy, wet snow with great big flakes, making the day grey and quiet and the end of the year rather sleepy-feeling. Below are a few pictures that I took early this afternoon. And as the day turns to evening, the snow continues to fall.
Wishing you a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and the very best in 2013!
A Taste of Morning 