glazed doughnut muffins

i love breakfast.
i love the sweet, the savory,
and everything in between.

these glazed doughnut muffins
gave you the nostalgia of a glazed doughnut,
but in muffin format. YUM.

also: are you a donut person or a doughnut person???

recipe via cooking classy 

makes 1 dozen muffins

ingredients

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk

10 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

glaze ingredients

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, 

baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. set aside.

3. in a separate small bowl, whisk together milk and buttermilk. set aside.

4. in a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, 

blend together butter and sugar until well combined. 

mix in eggs one at a time mixing after each addition.

blend in vanilla.

5. using wooden spoon to mix, add flour mixture in three separate batches, 

alternating with two additions of the milk mixture.

mixing until just combined after each addition.

6. divide batter into 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each one nearly full.

bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

do not overbake! my muffins were probably perfectly done at like 17 minutes.

7. during the last few minutes of cooling, prepare glaze by whisking together 

powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in small bowl. dip each muffin in glaze, 

while twirling and rotating to evenly coat tops 

(and allowing it a few second to get a good layer of coating). 

then, lift and allow excess glaze to run off. 

enjoy warm or allow glaze to harden and store in an airtight container.

  

 

monday morning mashup

pic via

1. drooling over these adorable journals

2. how to: perfectly brown butter

3. advice for finding contentment in your 20s and 30s

4. 10 places to see before they're gone!

5. what's next for birch box (one of my favorite female run companies)

6. loving this inspiration for an at home bar

7. dying to saber my own champagne this summer

8. how to: arrange and care for your tulips

9. a helpful glossary of wine terms

10. some of the best cheap sunnies on the market

lemon gin fizz

this cocktail tastes like summer.
light, refreshing, and pretty much like an adult lemonade.
you should make some this weekend :)

i'm going to give you this recipe in ratios, 

so you can make as much or as little as you want :)

ingredients

8 parts soda

4.5 parts gin

3 parts fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 part sugar/simple syrup

1 part triple sec

optional: lemon slices for garnish

directions

1. mix all ingredients together, with exception of the simple syrup.

add simple syrup to taste (based on how sweet or bitter you like it)

2. pour over ice. enjoy!

macaroons for two

as mentioned here, 

i'm obsessed with a blog that features dessert recipes 

that are just enough for two people. HELLO. best idea ever!

these macaroons are rich enough to satisfy you with just a couple little bites. 

delicious and VERY coconut-y.

bonus: click here to understand the difference between a macaron and a macaroon

recipe via dessert for two

ingredients

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon flour

pinch of salt

1 large egg white

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon oil (for chocolate drizzle)

directions

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat

2. in a large bowl, combine coconut, sugar, flour and salt. stir well.

3. add egg white and almond extra and stir very well, until no dry patches remain.

4. scoop dough into 6 mounds on the baking sheet. use your fingers to flatten the cookies. 

(the flatter they are, the crispier they'll get)

5. place cookie sheet in the oven and turn down heat to 325.

bake for 23-25 minutes, letting edges brown.

6. let cookies cool on sheet for a minute or two before moving to a rack to cool completely.

7. if you desire a chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate and oil in double boiler or microwave until smooth. dip, drizzle or dunk cookies, let harden, and serve!

mother's day gift ideas

here you go my friends,

my top ten mother's day gift ideas!

1. bouqs

i've ordered flowers from a lot of different flower shops 

and NONE have compared to this one.

2. new summery technology cases

3. for the cook/food lover in seattle

really enjoyed this book! (and the restaurant!)

4. for the dog lover

5. for the writer/deep thinker

who doesn't love a gorgeous new journal?

6. for the jewelry wearer

love the delicacy and boldness of this monogram necklace

7. for the traveler

a magazine subscription that keeps them dreaming all year long!

8. my current favorite scent

9. for the green thumb

a charming new set of pots for all their summer succulents

10. for the mom-to-be

the cutest little set of moccasins for when the baby arrives

 

kicking cucumber avocado salad

i'm going to confess two things to you:
1. i love a good salad
2. i get bored really easily

why should you care?
because i'm always looking for innovative
ways to create a new take on a salad.

this is my current fave.

a couple of notes on this recipe
*i don't love cucumber skin, so i roughly peeled mine
*use a slightly under ripe avocado
(it should still give a bit when squeezed, but feel relatively firm)
*don't be deceived by the sriracha in this recipe, it's not spicy at all.
(although you can add or subtract more to your liking)
*i found that this was delicious chilled, so if you have time,
pop it into the fridge for an hour or two

recipe via smitten kitchen

modifications by moi

makes 2 large salads or 4 side salads

ingredients

1 cucumber, washed and chopped into chunks

1 large avocado, chopped into chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

juice of one lime

hot sauce (i used sriracha)

salt

cilantro to garnish

directions

1. combine cucumber and avocado in a bowl.

2. whisk together olive oil, lime and seasonings, adjusting to taste.

2. drizzle salad with dressing and garnish with cilantro.

yes, i doubled the recipe....
don't be alarmed my the multiples of my ingredients :)