Maple Walnut Scones

Happy Monday friends!

Yes, it is Monday. The day that we all dread. But to be honest, this Monday hasn't been so bad. I only worked 4 hours, had lunch with my love, I have a Zumba class tonight and to top it all off, I ate one of these yummy scones for breakfast. Okay, maybe I ate two.

Maple syrup season is starting here in Quebec. The month of April will be spent visiting sugar shacks, eating pancakes every weekend and buying lots of maple syrup on sale. So of course I felt inspired to make these scones! Oh how I love le temps des sucres!

Here's all that you need to make these yummy scones yourself.
(This recipe makes 12 normal sized scones or 8 BIG scones)

• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Step one:

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. 

Step two:

Add all of the wet ingredients into the center on the dry ingredients. Mix until combined evenly.

Step three:

Spoon onto a greased baking sheet ( or a non-stick sheet like what I use). Bake at 425F for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. So keep an eye on them! Do not over bake them or else they will get dry. We don't want that!

Next step... eat one fresh out of the oven with some warm butter or better yet, some maple syrup!

...Until next time!

Xo

Banana Bread with a Chocolate Twist

HOLLA.

Who doesn't love a good 'ol banana bread? So seeing as I had 3 bananas starting to turn, I made myself a batch of my fav banana bread, but with a new little twist.

A chocolate twist that is.
So yum.

Just looking at this pic makes me want another slice.
But I shall resist. Or at least I will attempt to resist.
I have to go to the gym at 11.

Well let's get started! Here's what you need!

• 2 cups of white flour
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• dash of salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup of skim milk(or milk of your choice)
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 3 bananas mashed
• 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips

Step one:

Mix all the wet ingredients together. Flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt.

Step two:

Mix up the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Sugar, bananas, egg, oil & milk.

Step three:

Mix the wet and the dry together until it's evenly mixed.

Yuuuuuuummm.

Step four:

Take 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and put them in the microwave for 35 secs. If it's not totally melted put it in for another 15 seconds. Feel free to use more chocolate if you want. ;)

Add a little bit of milk to get it to make it a little less thick. 

Step five:

Put the banana bread goo into a greased bread pan. Now pour the chocolate on top. Use a knife or spoon and swirl the chocolate around. 

Are you getting hungry yet?

haha

Step six:

Bake for 1 hour at 350F.

Enjoy!

What are your plans for the week? I will be working, planning for our spaghetti fundraiser lunch at our church this Sunday and I will be planning for my friends who are coming for a visit!!

I am like beyond excited. My friend Chantelle and her husband are driving here to come visit us next week. They've never been here & I can't wait to show them all that Saguenay has to offer! 

Also a few days after they leave my friend Haelee is coming to visit! We actually met here in Saguenay in a French course, but I am so stoked that she's coming back for a visit. 

So much joy. 

I will post pics from my friends' visits! I feel so blessed.

Okay well I am off the gym!

xo

-Britt

Spiced Butternut Squash Bread

Good day!
I hope this recipe makes your day just a little bit better ;)
I know it's made my day better. I've already enjoyed a nice thick slice of this bread. Nice and warm, fresh out of the oven.
oooohhhhh yesssss.
I saw the idea for this bread on pinterest a little while back & of course I went and made my own version of it! This was the first time I have baked a loaf with butternut squash. It for sure won't be the last! Have you ever baked with butternut squash? I have leftover squash so watch out for a soup recipe soon!


Here is what you need to make this bread:

• 2 cups flour (you can do 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 white if you'd like)
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of wheat bran
• 1 tbsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar. (the bread is not very sweet. If you want it to be a "sweet bread" add more sugar :)
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups of butternut squash puree ***
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

To get started you must cut up your butternut squash. Peel it and take out the seeds. Then cut it up into chunks and place the chunks onto a baking pan. Brush the squash with olive oil & sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake them @ 425F for about 35 minutes. Once you're done make the puree by putting your squash into the food processor. 

STEP ONE:

 Mix your dry ingredients together. 

• 2 cups flour (you can do 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 white if you'd like)
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of wheat bran
• 1 tbsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

STEP TWO:

Mix your wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.

• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar. (the bread is not very sweet. If you want it to be a "sweet bread" add more sugar :)
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups of butternut squash puree ***
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

STEP THREE:

Combine the wet and the dry ingredients. Once fully combined put the batter into a greased bread pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes @ 350F.

Now, enjoy!

From our home to yours <3

-Britt

xo

Balmoral Scones {Dried Currants}

These look pretty darn good, don't they? Well, they were. Dan wanted scones for breakfast, and I wanted pancakes. We had a small debate. He won. I am so glad that he did, because it was a delicious breakfast.
Super easy & quick. Makes about a dozen.

Mix together all of the following ingredients. First the dry then add the wet.

• 1 1/3 cup of flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup of skim milk
• 1/4 cup of softened butter
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup of dried currants

Preheat your oven to 425F. Drop a heaping tbsp of the dough onto your greased baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm & indulge!

xo

Flax & Sunflower Seed Bread

Hello everyone! I really hate doing this, but I just needed to share this recipe! This recipe is not my own. I got it off of allrecipes. It was super good and a must try! To all my friends out there who are afraid to make their own bread, I just want to encourage you another time to give it a try! It will taste SO good, and you will feel so satisfied because you made it yourself. Here is the recipe to this lovely seed bread :)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/flax-and-sunflower-seed-bread/

PS the picture above is a picture of the bread rising! Doesn't it look good??
xo

Garlic and Cilantro Naan

Mmmm...Naan. I love naan. It goes great with so many tasty dishes! I am going to be honest with you...this was my very first time making naan. I know, I know..I always say that I make things from scratch, but I don't. :( I always just end up buying naan. I feel so much better after confessing that. hahahh. Although I always buy naan, I would recommend you make it yourself. It tastes wayyy better. Here is what you need to make yourself some naan! *This recipe makes three*

• 2 1/2 cups of white bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 4 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Step one:
In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, and coriander. Stir in the garlic and yeast.

 Make a well in the center and add the honey, lukewarm water, yogurt and oil. Stir well so that the dough comes together. Knead it with your hands so that you get everything off the sides of the bowl. Take the dough and place it onto a floured counter. Continue to knead it well. Do this until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Step two:

Make your dough into a ball. Brush your bowl with oil and make sure you get oil on all the sides of your ball. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for 1-2 hrs. Make sure the dough doubles in size.

Step four:

Preheat the oven to 475F. Prepare your three cookie sheets, and place them in the oven. You need them to be hot. Take your dough and place it on a floured counter top again. Punch the dough down with your fist. I like that part :) Now divide your dough into three equal pieces. Roll them out a little bit then brush both sides with oil. Roll them all into a tear drop shape.

Step five:

 Place the 3 pieces of naan onto the hot cookie sheets. It kinda sizzles one you put the naan on the sheets. Place your chopped cilantro on the naan evenly. Make it look nice and pretty! Place the sheets into the oven for 5 minutes, until puffed up.

Take them out and transfer the naan to a broiler pan (which we didn't have so we just placed the naan onto our shelves in the oven) brush with some more oil and broil for 2 minutes. You need to watch them the whole time because you don't want them to get too dark or burn...they won't taste nice. Serve them nice and warm!

 Enjoy!
xo

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I had a very happy husband yesterday when he came home for lunch and he saw fresh banana bread out of the oven! Banana bread is so yummy and it was a nice change from the muffins I make every week! On the topic of muffins...I made these super yummy flax flour&seed muffins. They were super healthy and super big...The only problem is...I didn't write down the recipe so I can't share them with you guys! I will show you the picture of these badboys..and hopefully I will be able to make them again...

Don't they look great! Anyways...back to banana bread..

This recipe is super easy and can be made super fast!

Preheat your oven to 350F

In a large mixing bowl mix
-2Cups of flour
-1/2 cup of sugar
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp baking powder
-dash of salt
(Make sure it is combined well)
 Add, and mix well...
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips
-1 egg
-3/4 cup of milk
-1/3 cup of oil
-2 bananas ( I use old bananas that I froze... and I just defrost them before using them)

Mix well.
Butter your bread pan...and then add the mixture.

Bake for one hour.
TADA> Yumminess

xo enjoy!

Pumpkin Loaf

I love pumpkin. I also love fall. I am not going to lie...I have made about 6 loaves of pumpkin loaf this fall. I promise that I shared! haha. I love all fall foods. Pumpkin, apple, pies, soups and stews..are all my favs..and I have been eating delicious fall foods all fall long! I'm sorry that I haven't been sharing the recipes!
This recipes is a good one. It is bad for you though...I must warn you. So make this if you are having company and you are going to share...because if not.. you will probably eat ALOT of it yourself!
This makes 2 loaves.

Here is what you will need:
-3 cups of sugar
-1 cup oil
-4 eggs
-3 1/3 flour
-2 tsps baking soda
-1 1/2 tsp  salt
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 tsp nutmeg
-1 15 ounce can of pumpkin...or your own 15 ounce cooked pumpkin

First thing that I did was chop up my pumpkin and boil it.

I boiled it then drained the water out. I then mixed the pumpkin with a hand electric mixer. A food processor or blender would probably work best.

STEP ONE:
-Preheat oven to 350F
-Grease 2 loaf pans and set aside
-In a large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed
-Add the eggs and beat well
-Set the suagr mixture aside

STEP TWO:
-In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
-Alternately add the flour mixture and 2/3 cup of water to the suagr mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined
-Beat in the pumpkin, spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans

STEP THREE:
-Bake for 60 minutes. (Or more..mine have taken an hour and 20 minutes before. Keep an eye on them and poke the center with a tooth pick or knife and see if it comes out clean. When it comes out clean, it's done)
-Cook on a wire rack for 15 minutes

We couldn't help ourselves...we started to eat it before I took the pictures!

ENJOY
xo