Orange Buttermilk Muffins

These are some of the best muffins I've had. One of my 5 year olds told me they were so yummy he was going to eat them all gone! 

Muffin:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil - i used applesauce to lower the calorie intake
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange extract (optional) - I used a few drops of Doterra's Wild Orange
2 2/3 cups all-purpose white flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with the back of a knife
1 cup buttermilk

Glaze:

1/4 cup butter, melted
zest of 1 orange
1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425. Line a muffin tin (I actually get about 15 standard-size muffins, so plan accordingly) with cupcake liners and set aside.

Zest the orange and set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and orange rind and beat until smooth. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla (and orange extract, if using) and beat until smooth. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour, mixing completely after each addition.

Scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins (I used a 1/4 cup cookie/ice cream scoop and it worked perfectly).

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top. Remove from oven and cool completely on cooling racks.

When the muffins are cool, melt 1/4 cup butter in a small mixing bowl. Add the zest of another orange. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating thoroughly to eliminate any lumps. When you’ve added 1 cup of powdered sugar, it should look like moist frosting. Whisk in a few tablespoons of buttermilk until a smooth glaze consistency is reached.

Grab each cooled muffin by the bottom and dip it into the glaze.

I got 16 muffins. If you use everything I did like subbing oil for the applesauce (unsweetened) they come out to 4 Weight Watcher Points per muffin.

strawberry shortcakes with coconut lime whipped topping

These were a big hit! you can use any pound cake but I made a cream cheese pound cake which is AMAZING!!! the batter is soo good. i may or may not eat a lot of it before baking.....yes its THAT good.

1 1/2 c butter

8 oz cream cheese

3 C. sugar

6 eggs

3 c flour

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add sugar. Do the same with the eggs one at a time.  Add the flour and salt then add the vanilla.

Pour into a 10-inch bundt pan.

Bake at 300 for 1 hour 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

*You can use any pan. for this recipe used loaf pans*

After your poundcake is done- Sliced and cubes and put a layer in the bottom of plastic cups.

Slice up 1 pkg strawberries and put in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp lime juice and stir. Let sit about until you get a syrup. Then spoon the strawberries over the pound cake in the cups.

I did another layer of pound cake and then another of strawberries, but thats totally optional.

For the whipped topping:

2 C. whipping cream

1/2-3/4 C. sugar

2 Tbsp cream of coconut 

2-3 drops of DoTerra Lime Essential oil

Whip everything together until stiff then spoon on top

For the toasted coconut heat oven to 375 and put the coconut on a cookie sheet and bake. watch as it will brown quickly. after cooking i put it in a bowl and added lemon zest and 2 drops of DoTerra lime oil.

*you can add the coconut on just top or you can add a layer of it after the second layer of strawberries.*

Beer cheddar Jalapeno with bacon soup

I found this recipe off Pinterest sooo good!!! I absolutely loved the flavor. It does have a kick to it. I used 2 jalapeños with all the seeds, which meant more for me since my kids wont eat anything jalapeño 

• 1/2 pound bacon (preferably smoked or double smoked), cut into 1 inch slices (omit and replace with 2 tablespoons of oil or butter for vegetarian)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2+ jalapeno peppers, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)
• 1 bottle beer
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• cayenne to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat and set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the grease in the pan.
2. Add the onion, and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the butter and let it melt and get all bubbly then sprinkle on the flour and let it cook until it starts to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the ale and broth and deglaze the pan before adding the bacon and then let cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add the cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted without bringing it back to a boil.
7. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.