Vanilla Pear Muffins

Vanilla Pear Muffins

Vanilla Pear Muffins

There are two delinquent birds that like to wreak havoc around my neighborhood. They run up and down the streets without a care in the world. They chase and peck at wandering cats. Small animals run from them in terror. Theses birds are fearless. If I didn't know any better, I would imagine these birds were outlaws on the run from the law, showing man and beast just who's in charge.

In the early hours of the morning, they like to drum on the basement windows with their beaks. The sound is so loud, it resonates throughout the entire house. The first time I heard it, my sister and I were both certain that someone was trying to break in by pounding hammers against the windows. But, no. It was just the birds.

Gerber Daisies

After I caught them in the act, they ran away, pecking each other playfully as if to congratulate themselves on their dirty deeds. These birds know no boundaries. I'm almost afraid of them. I wonder, if I met them in a dark alley, would they chase me around and peck at my ankles?

I hope I don't have to find out.

Vanilla Pear Muffins

Since this early morning window pounding has become a regular affair, sleeping in has become a thing of the past. And, while this certainly doesn't make me too happy, I think the results of my early morning baking will please you.

This morning, I made some muffins. While many of you may scoff at yet another muffin recipe being sent your way, I would like to point out that these aren't just any old muffins; these particular muffins are something to write home about.

Instead of telling you what I think of them, I want to share what one of my muffin taste testers shared with me: "The muffins were not only delicious, but tasted unlike any other dessert I have consumed. The flavor of the pear nutmeg muffin has no equal; certainly nothing to which I can compare. The muffin occupies its own pedestal for delectability in the 'tasty and delicious' hall of fame. A truly unique combination of ingredients."

If that doesn't sell you on these, I'm not sure what will.

Vanilla Pear Muffins

These vanilla pear muffins are moist, tender, and one-of-a-kind. These muffins have a very unique texture, closely resembling a bread instead of a light cake. The flavors are what really make these muffins shine. Certainly you've had pears and nutmeg together before, but this will change everything you thought you knew about it. Combined with a hint of vanilla, this flavor fusion will blow your taste buds out of the water. Trust me when I say you need to make these muffins as soon as possible.

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Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

With the feeling of spring in the air, I've been craving more summer sweets. Fruits, light desserts, and cold treats are topping the list. Even though the weather has not been very cooperative in my neck of the woods lately, I've decided I will try to bring my own spring to my kitchen (wearing my winter coat and all). In the lastest of my desperate pleas to will actual spring into finding me, I thought I might be able lure it in with delicious foods.

After all this effort (and all the pink and yellow delights gracing the pages of this blog), I think I've finally done it.

About time.

Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

One of the side effects of all this spring baking is a serious (and possibly life threating) lack of chocolate. For nearly a month I haven't shared any chocolate recipes with you. Not one. That must be some kind of record and I'm not sure its one I should be proud of. As a self-proclaimed chocoholic, I'm no longer living up to my name.

So this week, in order to fix this grave mistake, I challenged myself to make a spring dessert with chocolate just to prove that it can indeed be done. And it can. In this decadent dessert, raspberries, coconut, chocolate, and ice cream come together to make a sweet treat you're certainly not going to want to miss.

Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

This Raspberry Swirled Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream has complex flavors that meld just beautifully together. The base of the ice cream is not a custard, but rather a combination of coconut milk, cream, and sweetened condensed milk. While this does yield a subtle coconut flavor to the final product, the raspberry swirl overwhelms this flavor in most spoonfuls. Nevertheless, raspberry and coconut are good friends and you will not mind the match. The chocolate chunks are there simply because I believe chocolate makes everything better (and in this ice cream, it truly does), but you could omit this ingredient if you just wanted a fruity treat.

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Strawberry Milk

Strawberry Milk

Strawberry Milk

I've always had a deep love for milk. As early as I can remember, I viewed milk as a special treat. It didn't matter that it was always in the fridge or that I drank it at every single mealβ€”it was still special. It was almost like getting dessert before the end of dinner.

When I was in my teens, I could go through a quarter of a gallon in a day. Milk was my water. I was, for all intents and purposes, a milk addict. 2% was my drug of choice. It wasn't until I discovered these dreadful little things called calories did I realize that maybe drinking so much milk wasn't doing myself any favors. About the same time, I realized I could eat more cookies if I drank less milk; a trade off I could definitely consent to.

Strawberry Milk

My sister was just the opposite. You couldn't get her to drink a glass of milk even if you threatened her with no dessert. We told her she wouldn't grow up big and strong. We told her she would never grow tall. We told her these things and she still refused; she meant business. My sister was so drastic that she would refuse to have milk with her cookies. Believe it or not, she would dunk her Oreos in water instead (which she still will do, much to the chagrin of those watching).

Even with so much milk in the house, flavored milks weren't a part of my childhood. Occasionally my mother would buy chocolate milk to serve for dessert, but those occasions were few and far between. It wasn't until I was older and buying my own groceries that I noticed them in the stores. I was always tempted to try them, but with so much sugar, preservatives, and the lack of real fruit, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It wasn't until I saw a post from The Kitchn on making your own strawberry milk did it occur to me that I could make my own. The results were definitely worth sharing with you.

Strawberry Milk

This strawberry milk is subtly refreshing. The milk is lightly sweetened (there is just a hint of sugar), but you could add more sugar to adjust to your own tastes. The strawberries stand out in this drink, making it a perfect substitute for the store bought version. Drink this chilled for breakfast or dessert.

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