Vanilla Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

Guys... the week is about to begin all over again. It seems like the older we get... the busier we get! ...and the faster time flies!

I feel like March just started, and I looked up yesterday, and realized it's almost April. We've got things to do! Top of the list... camping and hiking, although Ashlynn may completely disagree with that. For those of you who don't know, Ashlynn and I are graduating college in May, and we're actually starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

It's surreal. We moved here in 2009, and our lives have completely changed... and it feels like yesterday! We packed all of our wedding gifts in the back of a U-Haul truck, and made the (what turned out to be) 9 hour drive to Tennessee. I can't believe these past 3 years have gone by so fast. It's sinking in though... graduation. Finals begin in about 4 weeks, and we graduate in about 5. Of course, Accounting is keeping me so busy, I'm not sure where I am, or how I got here, but it's a great feeling to accomplish what we're about to.

Anyway...
As busy as we are, and with my work hours beginning at 7:30 a.m., we need breakfast we can grab and go, and I have to say, these muffins fit the bill. I love homemade food... It's comforting knowing EXACTLY what is in your food.

Yes... these muffins have butter... and some sugar, but each one packs about 250 calories, which is right in my range for breakfast! We're to the point in our journey now where we're beginning to incorporate different types of foods back into our diet, but the key is moderation! Although, as soon as you taste these, you'll probably want to eat at least 4 like I wanted to.

I hope you like it!

Vanilla Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

For the muffins:

7 Tablespoons Butter
1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 pint blueberries (the fresher, the better)

Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375*. Prepare a 12-muffin pan with either non-stick spray or muffin liners.

Begin by melting butter in a saucepan. Watch it. Love it. The butter will begin to sizzle slightly, and begin browning. When the butter becomes a light brown, almond color, remove from heat, and pour into a bowl.

Whisk milk, egg, yolk, and vanilla together. While stirring, add melted butter slowly at a steady drizzle (to prevent scrambled eggs).

Next, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Then pour wet mixture into dry mixture, and stir to combine. Then, fold in your blueberries gently, and divide evenly in your muffin pan.

For the topping, combine all the ingredients together with your fingers until it becomes like crumbs. Top your muffins, and bake for about 20 minutes.

Burger Up!

Guys! This week has been INSANE!! I mean CRAZY! Between career fairs, meetings, class, and work, I barely remember what day it is!

Anyway...

Want to know the BEST burger place in the Nashville area? Look no more! Burger Up has two locations, one in Nashville, and the other in Cool Springs, and my wife and I eat there EVERY chance we get!

The beautiful thing about Burger Up is they don't settle for less. They use only the best products around. They support their local farms, and for us that means top quality products like only the best grass-fed beef, homemade ranch from right up the road (literally), and the best thick-cut bacon you'll ever put in your mouth!

A lot of people ask me what my favorite burger is... and I'd just like to say... they all are! I definitely would recommend the Woodstock, which is their version of a bacon cheeseburger, but at this moment, I'm digging the Ramsey Pimento Cheese Burger... It's house-made white cheddar pimento cheese on top of a delicious beef patty will have you coming back... and coming back again for more! Also, don't forget their Fried Pickle Chips with Hatcher Family Ranch!

...and whatever you do, make sure you try their signature, house made ketchup as well!

If beef isn't your thing, or you're looking for a lighter meal, they also have turkey, bison, and lamb burgers, along with salmon, and the Marathon, a quinoa and black bean burger.

Next time you're in Nashville, make sure you visit Burger Up! You won't regret it!

New York City!

If you've been following our blog, you know that we had a Spring Break trip this past week to New York. Yesterday, on our flight home, we were talking about how this was our last Spring Break as undergrads. It's crazy to believe... School has really flown by.

I also said I had planned on posting periodically while in New York... well, that didn't work out. The only way I had access to (FREE) WiFi was at a Starbucks, so I just decided to do one mass post!

We had a great time in New York. We stayed in the heart of midtown Manhattan at the Roosevelt Hotel, and were in walking distance to almost everything! And believe me... we walked nearly every inch of midtown before the week was over with! You name it, we probably did it. Times Square, Central Park, Broadway, Staten Island Ferry, Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Rockefeller Plaza, Fifth Ave shopping, and Grand Central Station. We walked downtown, uptown, midtown, to the upper east side, over to the upper west side, and back down. We really were able to see the different neighborhoods, and see what New York is like outside of the tourist areas... and we loved it!

Our first evening in New York, we went to a small italian eatery called Trattoria Dopo Teatro (which means Cafe after Theatre in English...I think?).

Ashlynn had the Spaghetti, and I had the Fettucine alla Carbanara, which was fettucine in a thick, creamy hollandaise sauce, covered with bacon. This was by far my favorite meal in New York. This picture above was taken over half way through, when I realized I better take a picture before it's all gone.

After we walked back to the hotel, we stopped by our hotel lounge for milk and cookies. Yes, we're kids at heart.

The next day, we hit the ground running, starting off at Grand Central Terminal, which was right next door to our hotel. It was amazing, and crazy busy!

And obviously, we had to stop by the Apple Store in Grand Central that opened not too long ago. Yes... it was everything I hoped it would be!

Next, we headed to the Empire State Building. The views were amazing, and this was Ashlynn's first time to experience it!

After that, we went over to Macy's, and H&M (Ashlynn's new favorite store), and then walked up Broadway to Times Square.

The next day, we jumped on the Subway, and headed to the Union Square Farmer's Market. It was a lot of fun. We're nerds... but we love going to Farmer's Markets! On a side note, I'd like to take a minute, and thank Google Maps. Without it, we'd probably have ended up in Pennsylvania somewhere on the Subway, but Google told me what train to take, when to take it, and what time we'd arrive.

After the Farmer's Market, we walked across the street to the "three story" Whole Foods and had breakfast.

Then, we went to Chelsea Market, home of Food Network. It was a lot of fun. They had tons of eateries, bakeries, and cooking stores.

Next, we rode the Staten Island Ferry. This is a really fun, and FREE thing to do in New York, if you ever get the chance. The views are awesome!

The next day, we walked up Fifth Avenue towards Central Park, and of course, we stopped by the Apple Store on 5th. I love Apple.

Next, we headed up to Central Park, and walked the entire loop of the park. For those of you who don't know, Central Park goes from 59th Street to 110th Street in-between the upper east and west side. The loop itself is 6.1 miles, and it was awesome getting to see the majority of the park. Last time I was in New York, we only got to see a fraction of it. The weather was perfect also. It was 70* that day. We both really enjoyed it, and got a great workout at the same time.

That night, we saw Mary Poppins on Broadway. I'm always amazed at Broadway shows because they're nothing like I think they're going to be. I'm always shocked at how much I enjoy them. This is the only picture we could take, because photography was prohibited.

Another one of our favorite places was the Red Flame Diner.

It was a really cool place! We ate here a few times actually, but after the broadway show, we stopped here for a late night snack.

This is a Chocolate Mousse Cake... and it was amazing. It was sweet, but not over-powering. And of course, we topped it off with a glass of cold milk. I have a firm belief that on vacation, you should indulge at least some!

...and what's a trip to New York without New York Pizza! This is at John's Pizzeria. It was another one of my favorite meals!

New York was a blast! We've already started planning our next trip. One of my favorite things about eating in New York is that they put the calories next to everything on the menu, so you know exactly what you're eating! It takes out the guessing game! We never had to worry about wondering how many calories were in what we were eating, because it was all right there in front of you!

Peach Cobbler Muffins

I'm really digging cooking with fruit lately, and today is no different. We all love peach cobbler right? If you don't, you just haven't my peach cobbler... I'm not bragging, I'm just saying... My peach cobbler is legit... and will change your mind.

One of my favorite breakfasts to grab on the go are muffins. Blueberry...blackberry...strawberry......Peach Cobbler... it really doesn't matter. These muffins are rich, and moist, and just the right portion size even for me... a dude that's counting his calories. These muffins pack 250 calories per muffin. Yes... there's butter. Yes, there's sugar, but it's all about moderation right? I can handle 250 calories for breakfast... it's that simple.

Start with these awesome ingredients. Here's a tip: if you have access to farm-fresh eggs, go for it! They're so much better taste-wise. I have a friend that gets me farm-fresh eggs, and there is really no comparison to store bought eggs.

These muffins are perfect for breakfast...or an airplane snack, which is what I'll be using them for. I hope you like it!


Peach Cobbler Muffins
(adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook)
(makes 10 muffins)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7 tablespoons butter
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup diced peaches

Topping:
3 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350*

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

Place butter in small saucepan, and melt over medium heat. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, yolk, milk, and vanilla. While whisking, slowly drizzle butter into the egg mixture.

Add milk mixture to the flour, and fold together with a spatula until completely incorporated. Then, fold in diced peaches.

Divide evenly into 10 muffin cups.

For the topping, with your hands blend all the ingredients until well incorporated.

Bake muffins for approximately 30 minutes. Let cool. Enjoy.

Strawberry Cake

Let's talk cake! Strawberry Cake.

It was 80* degrees yesterday. Do you know what that means? Windows down, radio up! I wish we could say it was our first taste of spring, but the truth is we haven't had too much of a winter... and my wife was inspired. We had friends over last night, so she decided to bake this cake, and it was a huge hit!

It's a homemade vanilla cake (compliments of Joy The Baker), filled with a strawberry syrup, and a whipped cream frosting.

You may remember Louise's cake from this summer? Well... this is that... on steroids!

One of the things I love about this cake is that it's not overbearingly sweet. It's very light and airy, yet satisfying. This was the first time since December I had eaten anything with sugar in it, and I thought it would make me feel bad, and give me a headache, but it didn't. It actually did the opposite...made me feel great!

I hope you like it!

Vanilla cake (from Joy the Baker)

1 2/3 cups all-purpos flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
1 cup milk

Strawberry Syrup

1 cup strawberries plus more for layering and the top of the cake
1 small package Strawberry Jello Pudding Mix
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup sugar

Whipped Cream Frosting
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 1/2 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 350*

To get started, dice strawberries (you may want to half a few for the top of the cake), and mix with water, Jello Pudding Mix, and sugar. Stir to coat, and place in the refrigerator to rest.

Next, start on your cake mix. In a medium bowl, wisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds until well incorporated.

Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until almost incorporated. Add the milk. Blend. Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat until almost incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish incorporating the ingredients with a spatula.

Divide into round cake pans, and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes.

Let cool completely!

While that's baking, get started on your whipped cream frosting. Pour 1 1/2 cups sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the wisk attachment. Next, pour in your heavy cream, and begin to blend on low to incorporate all of the sugar for about a minute. Then, bring the speed slowly up to medium-high, blending vigorously. In about 3 minutes, it will begin to form whipped cream. Allow it to blend for another minute or so until it is very thick. When it's done, set in the refrigerator to rest.

After your cake has completely cooled, punch holes all around both layers with a straw. Next, lay your first layer on the cake platter, and pour a small amount of the strawberry filling mixture over the cake allowing the cake to soak it in. Next, add a layer of whipped cream frosting, and strawberries. Then, add your next layer, and punch holes again, and add more of the strawberry sauce mixture. Then, coat the top and sides with whipped cream frosting, and top the cake with strawberries.

Keep refrigerated.

French Vanilla Coffee Creamer

It's going to be one of those days... and I'd like to take a minute to thank God that Spring Break has begun, and I don't have to walk in this mess to class!

There's something about thunderstorms that makes me even more like an old man than I already am. When it's raining, all I want is to stay home... preferably planted on my couch, only moving to search for food. I've always been like that. I love rain and thunderstorms, but only if I'm home and don't have to go anywhere.

There's something comforting about staying home when its pouring outside. And what makes the experience even better?? The perfect cup of coffee. I have to say... my wife makes the BEST coffee. I'm picky about it-- I don't want it too strong, and I don't want it too weak, and she fixes it perfectly. And what better to go along with the perfect cup of coffee than the perfect coffee creamer. Homemade coffee creamer knocks all the other creamers out of the water. There's a richness to it you don't get otherwise. Plus, most coffee creamers these days are loaded with hydrogenated fats... and we don't want that. We want the real deal.

This coffee creamer will definitely warm up you on a rainy day! I hope you like it!

French Vanilla Coffee Creamer

1 cup whole milk (you can also substitute skim or almond milk)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Bring all ingredients except vanilla to a simmer over medium heat. Once it begins to simmer, remove from heat, and add the vanilla extract.

**Here's the dealio (for really tho) on this recipe. In order for this to take your breathe away, you really need pure maple syrup, and pure vanilla extract... I'm talking... the good stuff. You can substitute others, but the flavor won't be as potent.