powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup shredded zucchini
2/3 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease muffin tins, or line with paper cupcake liners.
3. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and baking soda; set to side.
4. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer, until fluffy.
5. Add the eggs into butter mixture one at a time. Let the eggs completely blend in before you add another. Mix in vanilla with last egg.
6. Gradually add in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Mix until just blended.
7. Carefully fold in zucchini, raspberries, and chocolate chips, mixing just enough that it is evenly mixed.
8. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filing them 3/4 of the way full.
9. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let muffins cool in pan for about 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on wire rack.
Brown Sugar Banana Bread Muffins
Makes 12
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 bananas, ripe and mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar, with additional for muffin tops
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease muffin tins, or line with paper cupcake liners.
3. Melt the butter and set aside to slightly cool.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
5. Mash the bananas in a small bowl using a fork, then stir in the buttermilk, egg and brown sugar with fork. Fold in the butter.
6. Fold in the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until it is just combined.
7. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filing them 3/4 of the way full.
8. Sprinkle each muffin with a large pinch of brown sugar on top.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffin tops are a golden brown. Insert a toothpick in center of muffin. Toothpick should come out clean if done.
10. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.
Duke’s Favorite Catnip Cookies
Makes Lots!
Ingredients:
1 Can of tuna, drained
1 Cup of wheat flour
1 Tablespoon extra light olive oil
1 Tablespoon dried catnip
1 Egg
1-2 Tablespoons of water, more as needed
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. In food processor, combine tuna, flour, olive oil, catnip, egg, and water. Blend until smooth and completely mixed.
4. Roll pieces of dough into little cookies the size of a quarter and put on cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are browned on top. Cook long enough so they are crunchy.
6. Once cooled, keep in an airtight container and store in fridge. They will stay fresh for about a week.
Pinecone Peanut Butter Treat
These are great for squirrels and birds!
Ingredients:
Peanut butter
Bird seed
Pinecones
Yarn
Directions:
1. Spread peanut butter evenly on pinecone.
2. Roll pinecone in bowl of birdseed
3. Use string or yarn to make a loop long enough to hang on a branch.
Sophia’s Organizing Tips
Organizing Bookshelves
Sophia loves organizing bookshelves because she not only loves books, but she feels that bookshelves can be a work of art if decorated properly. Have you ever felt that your bookshelves have become just an open storage unit? Follow the tips below to help transform your bookshelves into a work of art!
Over our lifetime, we can collect many items that remind us of special events. Sentimental items that are given to us by those we care about, especially by children, can make it difficult when we are trying to reorganize our display cases and