Month: November 2012

Is It Just Me?

Lauren3 Comments

Is it just me or does it not seem like November at all?

On my way home, I drove past those little Christmas tree/stocking/toy soldier decorations hanging off of the light posts and was so confused.  It’s been September for the past 3 months, hasn’t it?

I’m not really sure how to put this feeling into words, but I feel way less into the holiday spirit this year.  And I’m not sure why.  Halloween came and went and as much as I wanted to be into it, I just wasn’t.  Is this what being old feels like?  Because I’m not old enough to feel old!  By this point, I’m usually craving Christmas music, snowy Saturdays (where I can stay indoors all.day.long) and eggnog, but as of right now, I feel no such desire for those things.  What is happening?!

Is it just me or is this time change messing with everyone else’s workout motivation?

The sun is seriously setting as I leave work and by the time I get home it’s pitch black outside and all I want to do is cuddle up on the couch and be lazy for the rest of the night.  Help.

Is it just me or is everything about the Voice a joke?

I don’t watch but it just so happened to be on when I turned the TV on and I’m not impressed by anyone.  Including the horrible Maroon 5 performance.

Is it just me or does everyone else think every restaurant should offer baby beers?

You know, for when you need to save room for actual food.  Or if you’re Joey you get a full sized beer and a big ol’ burger and then go to a Nuggets game and spend almost the entire 4th quarter of the game standing in line for nachos.  Where does he put it?!

This was my favorite part of the game.  But really, I barely watched any of the game because I was glued to election coverage.

Is it just me or does a decked-out waffle make a Tuesday morning feel extra special?

If you don’t know the answer, then you should probably eat a decked-out waffle next Tuesday.

But for now, just go enjoy your weekend!

***********************

Do you watch the Voice?

Does it feel like the holiday season yet to you?

What are you wondering “Is it just me?” about?

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

Lauren5 Comments

A few weekends ago, Joey was off seeing some scary movie and I was at home dreaming of something sweet and delicious that combined chocolate and pumpkin. Basically the opposite of anything involved in a scary movie.

I tested out the recipe. We ate 12 muffins between the two of us (not at once, I promise).  They were good but I knew they could be better, so I remade them and they came out perfect. And I received boyfriend confirmation that they were “awesome!!” and even better than the first batch.

And they better be because I decided to “take a quick walk” to Target to buy muffin tin liners for them and that short walk ended up taking an hour. Definitely worth it, though. I know they’re all chocolatey and cream cheesy, but they’re also all whole wheaty and oil free(y?) and therefore total breakfast material.  And the perfect “grab-and-go” breakfast for when you stayed up way to late watching election coverage and want to sleep as long as possible the next morning.

Just one thing. We’re still into pumpkin, right? Okay good.

Double Chocolate Muffins with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

For the muffins:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For the frosting:

  • 1/2 stick butter, softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream together butter and sugar (in a mixer or with a hand mixer).  Add egg and beat until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
  4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, along with applesauce and beat until combined.
  5. Fold in mini chocolate chips.
  6. Fill greased muffin tin with batter, filling 3/4 full.  Bake for 25 minutes.
  7. For frosting, cream butter and cream cheese together until combined, then add sugar, pumpkin and cinnamon and beat for 3-5 minutes or until fluffy.
  8. Once muffins are cooled completely, generously frost with pumpkin cream cheese frosting.

Remember when I baked muffins without liners and broke the tops off of every single muffin while trying to free them from the pan?  And then instead of topping them with frosting, I glued the two pieces back together with the frosting?  Turns out this makes for the perfect muffin.

Trust me, just try it.