I've Been Makin' Whoopee....

Lots of whoopee. Whoopee in the morning, whoopee mid day, and whoopee in the evening. Can't get enough whoopee!

.....Whoopee Pies that is!

I love chocolate chip cookies so I thought I would try these first.

Chocolate Chip Whoopee Pies
by: Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tbs. vegetable shortening
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 tbs. milk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. mini chocolate chips

*Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
*Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper (I skipped this step)
*In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, shortening, and both sugars and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the buttermilk and beat until combined.
*In a measuring cup, combine the milk, baking soda, and vinegar. Add the milk mixture to the batter along with the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Add the vanilla and beat on medium for about 2 minutes, until completely combined.
*Using wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips until incorporated.
*Using a spoon, drop about 1 tbs. of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes each, or until the cakes begin to brown. Remove from oven an dlet the cakes cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 48 2-inch cakes.

Classic Marshmallow Filling:

1 1/2 c. Marshmallow Fluff
1 1/4 c. vegetable shortening
1 c. confectioners' sugar
1 tbs. vanilla extract

*In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the Marshmallow Fluff and the vegetable shortening, starting on low and increase to medium speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low, add the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla, beat until incorporated. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes more.

Personally? I wasn't too thrilled with the Marshmallow Fluff center. It was fine the first day when it set, but the next day? Not so great. Next time I am going to give butter cream filling a try.

Irrational Minds

.......make me a little crazy! Okay, a LOT crazy! I don't get it. What makes a mind think they way they do? Nature or nurture? Probably a bit of both.

I'm no rocket scientist, but when someone tells me they don't want to sink money into their home (unless they intend to sell it) makes ZERO sense to me. Why would you want your home to fall in disrepair while you live in it? Why would you take the time to fix it up only to turn around and sell it? Why would fix it up for someone else, but not yourself?

Please explain! Where is the rationality in that?

Angst...

I'm full of it these days. Before kids I would take to the street and

Now that I have kids I have to find other outlets, after all I can't just get up and go anymore. Once school is in session I will be able to do that, as well as get back into a routine that doesn't involve dragging them all over the place. My outlet still involves getting physical, it helps to get out the pent up energy, frustrations, etc. As of late my task has been to stack

It's like a science to stack. Some people have a building to prop the pile up against, while others use 2 trees as their guide. Me? What do I use? My brain. In order to stack it so that it doesn't fall over you have to create an end that is stable and sturdy. It needs to be squared off.....so laying the wood in one direction and then laying the wood in the opposite direction as I build. Because I have to think about what I am doing and placing the wood properly, my mind works out the frustrations and angst that have built up during the summer.

I also have a tendency to bake. Well, actually, I love to bake. When I'm hit with frustrations that I can't run or exercise off I will bake. Today I made some of these

Who doesn't love a bit of chocolaty goodness? Me? I could eat the whole pan! I won't because my body is already falling into the shape it was in prior to a rigorous exercise program. Another good thing about school is that I WILL be able to get back into an exercise routine. Once the brownies cooled off I decided I needed to share with my SIL....see she gets to have a piece of my angst (the chocolate of course).

What works for you?

Nope, Not Tired!

This kid claims he is never tired. Doesn't need to go to sleep, take a rest, etc.

However, he CAN sleep just about anywhere, anytime.

He passed out on the shop floor while dad was working on the dirt bikes.
Nope, not tired!

Here is a quick post brought to you by Friday Fill-Ins.

Graphic courtesy of Crystal

And...here we go!

1. Life is good.

2. I just have to keep going.

3. My last text message (or IM) ended in these three words: a gr8 day.

4. Shrimp is what I'm thinking about for dinner sometime soon.

5. On the 1st day of August I played soccer.

6. Puppies are lively and energetic.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a movie, tomorrow my plans include the Farmer's Market and Sunday, I want to celebrate the hubby's 40th!

Better Blueberry Muffins

I like to get magazines that talk about nutrition and fitness. One of them is Shape. While I don't have subscription to this particular one, I will buy one on occasion. The last one I bought was the July issue and it has an awesome, healthy blueberry muffin recipe and I am going to share it with you.

Better Blueberry Muffins



For the muffins:
1 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. plus 2 tbs. sugar, divided
1/2 c. quick cooking oats (not instant)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. plus 2 tbs. lowfat buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tbs. canola oil (I used applesauce instead)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. fresh blueberries, washed and dried

For the topping:
1/4 c. blueberry all fruit spread (I used blueberry jam, it's all I had on hand)
24 fresh blueberries, washed and dried.

Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, 1/2 c. sugar, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Toss blueberries with flour mixture and stir gently. Line a 12 count muffin pan with paper liners (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). Divide batter evenly; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes or until tops are set. Remove from oven; top each muffin with 1 tsp. fruit spread and 2 blueberries. Bake 3-5 minutes more or until golden. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and serve.

So get to baking! You will enjoy these moist little morsels.