Vanilla-Pear Muffins

It's no secret that my husband is a bit of a picky eater. The list of things he refuses to eat is quite extensive, although it is shrinking these days, thanks to careful disguising of certain ingredients (ahem, like squash) and a general force-feeding of things I think he ought to just get over and eat. This boy will learn to have a well-rounded palate if it's the last thing I do! But despite some of the hiding and even arguing I have to do to get him to eat anything outside his comfort zone, one food I can always count on him eating are pears. Fruits aren't always high on his food-priority list, but rest-assured, if pears are in the house they will get eaten! So imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon this recipe for pear muffins.

Admittedly, pear muffins were not something I had ever heard of. Banana, blueberry, even apple muffins, sure... but pear? I was instantly intrigued. And within one bite, I was also instantly satisfied! These muffins are amazingly moist, and perfectly spiced... almost like a chai latte in muffin form. They're also very hearty, with robust chunks of tender pear and crunchy walnuts. Usually one muffin is just enough to take the edge off of a hungry stomach, but these guys are downright satiating! I can't wait to come home from work to one of these bad boys every day this weekend... you know, provided the picky boy doesn't eat them all first. :)

Orange-Walnut Bread

Who here loves banana bread? I sure do. But I get sick of bananas pretty fast. And citrus is soooo in season right now. Bright, juicy, spirit-lifting citrus... EVERYWHERE. Aren't you loving it?

But what to do with it all? There's the usual standby of, you know, just eating it, but that gets old after a while too. And it would be such a shame to let citrus season pass without enjoying the wide range of its flavoring possibilities. So why not make some tasty bread with all that lovely orange goodness?

Like this bread. It's super tasty! Like banana bread kicked up a notch... except, you know, minus the bananas. Soft and dense with a subtle sweetness, a slight crunch from the earthy walnuts, and beautiful orange-y notes that sing, "Good morning, sunshine!" It's the perfect complement to your morning cup of coffee or glass of milk... a seriously sweet way to start your day. And it's seriously too good to pass up this citrus season. Trust me!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake

Guess what guys? It's my birthday! It's pretty awesome, if I may say so... I love birthdays! Birthdays are an awesome excuse to do all kinds of fun things, like drink gratuitous amounts of wine with your friends and have a nerf gun fight in your basement. And also cake. Birthdays are a great excuse to eat cake.

Everyone thought I was crazy for making my own birthday cake. In fact, everyone kept offering to buy me one, like it was sad that I had to make my own. But, sick as it sounds, I actually enjoy making my own birthday cake! If I make it myself I know I'll get exactly what I want... plus, in case you haven't noticed, I kind of like this whole cooking/baking thing.

For a while I was totally set on making a German chocolate cake, but then I ate a Ferrero Rocher truffle out of my Christmas stocking and I knew... this year's birthday cake had to involve chocolate and hazelnuts. I've always been a fan of the chocolate-nut combination, but hazelnuts and chocolate are simply irresistible. So I set out to find my perfect cake. I knew I wanted a rich, dense, chocolate cake with just a hint of hazelnut... check. And a creamy, chocolately frosting, heavy on the hazelnut flavor... check. The result was out of this world. Exactly what I wanted. And so good my friends were begging for the recipe the next day... you know, after they recovered from all the booze and nerf gun fighting.

Cranberry-Almond Muffins

I am fresh off of a four-night, 12-hour shift work binge, and I am ready to share some food! As anyone who's worked nights knows, your eating schedule is anything but normal when you're nocturnal. Do you eat breakfast at 6pm and dinner at 8am, or the other way around? And when do you eat "lunch?" It may seem dumb that something as simple as eating can be so complicated, but sadly, on night shift, it kind of is.

It's taken me some time, but I think I've finally developed an  eating pattern that works best for me. Usually, I eat a normal dinner with Dane before I leave for work, lunch is around 2am, and when I get home at 8, usually hungry but exhausted, I prefer to eat something small. Small... and usually sweet. Like a muffin. Like one of these muffins.

Now, I realize that cranberries are so last month, but seriously... this is a must-try recipe. These muffins made me wonder why I don't bake with cranberries more often, because they are so tasty! I'm a total sucker for the sweet but slightly sour effect that fruits like cranberries and blueberries give, and it lends itself wonderfully to this hearty muffin base and the crunchy almond topping. And don't tell anyone but... these muffins are actually almost good for you. Whole wheat flour, antioxidant-rich berries, healthy almonds, and only 170 calories per muffin. See? Totally resolution-friendly. So no excuse not to make 'em. :)