I'm still not very good at food photography. :) But I think with more practice and a new camera I'll improve. I know the route to go would, technically, be a SLR, but I really, really am wary of it. I don't consider myself a photographer in any real sense of the word, and as much as I admire (love) food photography on other blogs, I don't feel like I wanna shell out that much on a camera just to take pictures of that. I'm considering a higher end point-and-shoot with cool features.
In any case.
This week is me making lots and lots of things. Curry chicken salad and donut muffins, thus far.
I was hungry at lunch time last weekend and just made a quick chicken salad. Apples, celery, peas, and cooked chicken combined with apple cider vinegar, mayo (fat free, all I had on hand), and curry powder. I had cooked the chicken in some curriness too.
It was pretty good. Made two lunches! (See what I mean about the photos?)
Yesterday morning I also made donut muffins, which I got from Bread & Honey, a blog I've kind of gotten obsessed over because those ladies are lovely, lovely bakers. And I admire Portland greatly.
(This photo turned out well, I think)
However, I realized when looking over the recipe for these muffins, they're actually made like little cakes, which, with their resemblance to cake donuts, makes a lot of sense... but my muffins aren't cakes. I wanted them muffiny. So I made a hybrid.
Instead of creaming the sugar and butter completely, I only creamed the sugar with half the butter. The other half I melted and mixed in with the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract I added.
I then added all the liquids in, all together, followed by the dries.
The result was delicious. I really like these muffins! They're a little dry, and so next time, I'm going to I think make them a bit more moist. But they were still very, very delicious. I still have four left, and I don't even know how I'll eat them with all the other things I'm making coming up.
Donut Muffins; adapted from Bread & Honey who adapted it from Orangette who adapted it from...
Ingredients:
For muffins:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
For topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a standard-size muffin tin with cooking spray.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, and whisk to mix it thoroughly.
Combine the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the half stick of butter and mix into the milk mixture.
In a large bowl, place the remaining stick of butter. With an electric mixer, beat on medium until the butter is creamy and no longer stick-like. Slowly add the sugar, beating until the mixture fluffs up, increasing in volume and becomes a pale yellow. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Mix in the milk mixture. Slowly, in batches, mix in the dries until half of the dry is mixed in with the wet. Remove the beaters and switch to a rubber spatula, mix in the rest of the dough and combine well.
Divide the batter between the cups of the muffin tin and bake until the muffins are firm to the touch and the center's come out clean-- about 20-30 minutes.
Allow the muffins to cool. When they have cooled melt the remaining butter and brush the muffin tops and sides with it. Roll or dust the tops with powder sugar and serve.
Yum!
In any case.
This week is me making lots and lots of things. Curry chicken salad and donut muffins, thus far.
I was hungry at lunch time last weekend and just made a quick chicken salad. Apples, celery, peas, and cooked chicken combined with apple cider vinegar, mayo (fat free, all I had on hand), and curry powder. I had cooked the chicken in some curriness too.
It was pretty good. Made two lunches! (See what I mean about the photos?)Yesterday morning I also made donut muffins, which I got from Bread & Honey, a blog I've kind of gotten obsessed over because those ladies are lovely, lovely bakers. And I admire Portland greatly.
(This photo turned out well, I think)However, I realized when looking over the recipe for these muffins, they're actually made like little cakes, which, with their resemblance to cake donuts, makes a lot of sense... but my muffins aren't cakes. I wanted them muffiny. So I made a hybrid.
Instead of creaming the sugar and butter completely, I only creamed the sugar with half the butter. The other half I melted and mixed in with the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract I added.
I then added all the liquids in, all together, followed by the dries.
The result was delicious. I really like these muffins! They're a little dry, and so next time, I'm going to I think make them a bit more moist. But they were still very, very delicious. I still have four left, and I don't even know how I'll eat them with all the other things I'm making coming up.
Donut Muffins; adapted from Bread & Honey who adapted it from Orangette who adapted it from...
Ingredients:
For muffins:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
For topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a standard-size muffin tin with cooking spray.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, and whisk to mix it thoroughly.
Combine the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the half stick of butter and mix into the milk mixture.
In a large bowl, place the remaining stick of butter. With an electric mixer, beat on medium until the butter is creamy and no longer stick-like. Slowly add the sugar, beating until the mixture fluffs up, increasing in volume and becomes a pale yellow. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Mix in the milk mixture. Slowly, in batches, mix in the dries until half of the dry is mixed in with the wet. Remove the beaters and switch to a rubber spatula, mix in the rest of the dough and combine well.
Divide the batter between the cups of the muffin tin and bake until the muffins are firm to the touch and the center's come out clean-- about 20-30 minutes.
Allow the muffins to cool. When they have cooled melt the remaining butter and brush the muffin tops and sides with it. Roll or dust the tops with powder sugar and serve.
Yum!
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