Banana Strawberry Muffins

This morning when I woke up I had no idea what to do for breakfast, then I realized that I had some  very riped bananas and I thought "let's make banana bread" but then I remembered that it has been a while since I made muffins so after a quick search on Pinterest I found this recipe and I loved it!

It's very yummy! Or at least that's what my 4 year old little girl told me after she devoured 2 of these babies.

They are super easy to make and very healthy if you substitute the flour for whole wheat and add a little bit of flax seed.

 

Banana Strawberry Muffins

Recipe adapted from Wit & Whistle
Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup diced strawberries, plus 1 strawberry very thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line or spray a muffin tin. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter browns and begins to smell nutty. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and yogurt. Whisk in the mashed bananas. Pour the butter in a very slow stream to temper the eggs and be sure they don’t curdle.
Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and incorporate with a spatula. Fold in the strawberries until just combined.
Using an ice cream scoop, portion the batter evenly into 12 muffin tins and place a sliced strawberry on top.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.

 

Enjoy!!!

365 Days of Grace :: January'13

January

365 days of Daniella :: January'13

January

Love Cupcakes

San Valentin is around the corner and what's the best way to celebrate the people you love but with a delicious cupcakes!

The cake is chocolate oreo cake with a cream cheese frosting.

Let me tell you, these babies are scrumptious !!!

Go make some for the people you love the most!

Chocolate Oreo Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction  & Not so humble pie
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil (You can use ½ oil ½ apple sauce)
4 eggs; lightly beaten
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
24 Oreo cookies

For the frosting

16oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream, very cold

 

 

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.Line (2) 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.

3.In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, vanilla and water.

4.Add the crushed Oreos and mixed well

5.Evenly divide the batter amongst the prepared pans

6.Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.

7.Cool cupcakes thoroughly on wire rack.

8.To make the frosting, beat the cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy

In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream to nearly stiff peaks, then add the whipped cream into the cheese mixture and quickly and briefly beat to combine. Do not over beat. Pipe on cupcakes

Notes:

Put the mixer beaters in the freezer for a couple of minutes before you whip the heavy cream.
You can also add crumble oreos to the frosting



Neapolitan Cupcakes

The other day I was just checking my email when I came upon this recipe on my reader and I thought to myself,  "I have all the ingredientes, let's make them" ... I did & let me tell you something, these cupcakes are delicious! The 3 different flavors really complement each other and Oh! They are pretty!

 

Enjoy!

 

Recipe from My Baking Addiction

 

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup strawberry jam

For the Frosting

2 sticks butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoon heavy cream
2 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon strawberry jam

Directions:

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites and milk.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and crumbly. Beat in the vanilla extract.
5. Add both the flour and egg mixtures to the butter mixture, half at a time, beating until well-blended.
6. Split the batter into thirds. Set aside one third of the mixture. For the second, beat in the cocoa powder. For the third, beat in the jam.
7. Drop some of each of the three colored batters into the cupcake liners. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect, if desired.
8. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
9. To make the frostings, beat the butter until pale. Beat in the vanilla extract, then gradually beat in the powdered sugar and heavy cream, half at a time. Split into thirds and set aside one third of the frosting. Add cocoa powder to the second, and strawberry jam to the third. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Notes:

- To make the jam easier to combine with the batter and frosting, warm it in the microwave in a small bowl for 10-15 seconds.
- Because the jam can make the pink cake batter a little more runny than the other two batters, you can always add a little extra flour to compensate for the extra liquid added. Along the same lines, you can add a little extra powdered sugar to the pink frosting as well.

Back ... again!!!

It's a new year, a new beginning!

There's so much to tell, a lot of things had happened since the last time I was here, the 2 most important are:

1.- I had another baby!!! Her name is Daniella Mina Vader and she was born June 14th, 2012

Mommy & Dani

Dani today 1.25.13 isn't she the cutest?

&

2.- We moved to San Antonio, Texas on april of 2012 after living in Arizona for 6 years!

this is our house in San Antonio!

We are still adjusting, it seems like that never ends ... probably will move again, still trying to decide what's best for the family!

Grace?! She is 4 years 2 months 1 day old now! Gosh, when did that happen? She is smart, beautiful, strong willed little girl. She loves her baby sister very very much!

here they are the two of them at Gracie's ballet class

I'm still baking and getting better at it I think, I love it! I'm fan of Facebook & Pinterest & Instagram and taking pictures of my girls every day, nothing has changed about that!

Neapolitan Cupcakes
recipe to follow :)

I think I'm going to stick around, maybe not as often as I would like but for sure more often than before!

See ya!

 

Three

Its hard to believe that it has been 3 years since we brought that tiny baby home from the hospital.

She is now 3 years old!!!

We celebrated her birthday 3 times, the first one was at Peper Piper Pizza with some of our friends, we had pizza, cupcakes, ballons, presents!!! She loves that place ...

The second time was at home at our Thanksgiving dinner, we are very THANKFUL for her, she is such a smart, beautiful, loving & caring little person! We Skyped with our family in Colorado and they sang the Happy Birthday to her!!!

And the third time was the actual day of her birthday November 25th, shw woke up to a nice surprise in the living room.

And then we went out to dinner, where we ate more pizza and a delicious cheesecake (one of her favorites)

Overall was a great birthday for her!!!

Gracie at 3

How old are you? Cinco or five

 What is your favorite color? pink

 What is your favorite toy? blocks

 What is your favorite fruit? banana & strawberry

 What is your favorite tv show? Wiggles, Yo Gabba Gabba

 What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Spaguetti

 What is your favorite outfit? Princess Bella dress or tutus 

 What is your favorite game? Puzzles

 What is your favorite snack? fruit snacks, yogurt with fruit

 What is your favorite animal? horsey

 What is your favorite song? Martinillo

 What is your favorite book? Wheels on the bus

 Who is your best friend? Benny, Max, Alex, Alicia

 What is your favorite cereal? Fruty loopies

 What is your favorite thing to do outside? Go to the park, the pool

 What is your favorite drink? Apple Juice

 What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

 What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Blanket and Kitty 

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes

 What do you want for dinner on your birthday? spaghetti

Gracie, my baby girl, may this next year bring you happiness, health and all the love of the world because you deserve that and more than that.

We will like you forever

we will love you for always

as long as we are living

our baby you will be.

 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from Super Gracie & Gracie Butterfly!!!

I'm back!

Dear blog:

I'm so sorry I have neglected you again, I'm so bad at updating stuff but I will be better now, I promise.

Things hasn't changed that much since the last time I was here, Gracie keeps growing up so fast I can't believe it, she will be 3 in 2 months!!!! I'm still trying to decide what her party theme is going to be but I think we are going to do "Gracie's world" a mix of all the things she likes, like Jesse (cowgirl), Spiderman, The Wiggles ...  All I know is that is going to be sooooooo much fun!

Anyway, I will be back soon!

Until then ...

3 Leches Cake

3 Leches Cake recipe from the Pioneer Woman

 


I'm mexican so I grew up eating this cake every party or get together I went, when I moved to the USA I tried several cakes from several bakeries and none of them were like the ones I had in Mexico so after so many tries I finally found the BEST recipe for Pastel de 3 Leches! Thank you Pioneer Woman!

This cake is the REAL thing and it's sooo easy to make! Give it a try and just like me you will be hooked!


Ingredients
1 cup All-purpose Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
5 whole Eggs
1 cup Sugar, Divided
1 teaspoon Vanilla
⅓ cups Milk
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
¼ cups Heavy Cream

_____

FOR THE ICING:

1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
3 Tablespoons Sugar
Cherries for garnish (optional)
 
Preparation Instructions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.

Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped cherries.

Enjoy!!!!

Pistachio cake

I'm not a big fan of pistachios but my dear husband is, so he has been asking me to make this cake that his mom used to make for him when he was a kid, since I couldn't find her exact recipe I look it up on internet and I came up with my own version! He didn't like the cherries so next time I will just omit them. All in all he was very happy with the finish product! ;)  & I was happy I could bring warm & happy memories from his mom & his childhood!

For the cake:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups water
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp. almond extract
7 drops green food coloring (optional)

For the frosting:

2 packages (4-serving size each) instant pistachio pudding and pie filling mix

3 cups milk
2 envelopes whipped topping mix

Additional maraschino cherries and pistachio nuts (optional)



PREPARATION:
Cake

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

2.Combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, water, oil and almond extract in large bowl. Mix according to package directions. Spread half of batter in each pan. Bake and cool according to package directions.

Frosting

1.Combine milk, pudding mix and whipped topping mix in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until blended. Beat at high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until stiff, scraping sides of bowl often. Stir in cherries and pistachios (Optional). Refrigerate until ready to use.

2.To assemble cake; spread filling between each layer. Frost top and side of cake with frosting. Garnish with maraschino cherries and pistachios, if desired.

 

 

Nutella cupcakes with a nutella buttercream frosting

Nutella Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Devil’s Food Cake Mix
3 eggs
½ cup oil
¼ cup milk
½ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
24 teaspoons Nutella
(1 per cupcake)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffins tins.

2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil, milk, water and vanilla.

3. Sift in cake mix and stir in sour cream.

4. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and then place a teaspoon of Nutella on top of each one. Using a toothpick, swirl the Nutella into the batter.

5. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the sides spring back. (The tops will stay gooey because of the Nutella.)

6. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place directly into airtight containers so seal in moisture.


Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce jar of Nutella
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6-8 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and Nutella until well combined. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, and continue creaming until well blended.

2. Add salt, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 3-5 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

I'm linking up to the Larson Lingo

Sedona

This last sunday we got in the car & drove 150 miles to go to Sedona, AZ.

What a beautiful place!

So quiet & calm!

We had a great day exploring, walking by the river, the food was delicious and there were ice cream involved, yummy!

We are going back very soon!

What Grace has been up to ...

Oh My!

Where to start? She is seriously big but funny part is that she still fits her clothes form last year, she was chubby and now she is very tall so I'm happy that I haven't spent a little fortune in new clothes!

She is talking up a storm, repeating EVERY single word we say! Even though she is not formulating long sentences yet but I think thats because she is bilingual and I read that bilingual kids take longer to start talking which I don't mind at all since I know that as soon as she starts school her language skills are going to improve.

She eats everything, her favorites are mac & cheese, bananas, olives & spicy food (what can I say?, she is part mexican!)

She is such a loving and caring little girl, she absolutely adores her big brother (Junior) and he loves her back just as much, they have a lot of fun playing and wrestling togehter! When he cries about something she would say {Don't cry Jr, mommy home soon}. She loves her "Ima" so much, they spend the whole day together and I'm just thankful that my daughter gets to spend her childhood with her granma!

Overall she is a very happy & healthy little girl & I love her to death!

She calls me {honey} & my heart just melts!

I'm back!

Dear blog:

I'm sorry I was gone, I promise I would never leave you again! I have a lot of things to tell you and a lot of pictures to show you!

Just be patient!

Love,
Me

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas

I love the holidays but now that Gracie is more aware of her environment it has a whole new meaning to me, we had our traditions even before she was born like going to the Tempe Festival of the Arts every year at the beginning of December & after that just get ready to travel to Colorado to spend the holidays with David's family.



But not this year! This year we are staying home which means early presents from Santa.




And of course our very OWN Christmas tree, the first tree we have as a family in our house, Oh my was I excited! I think I was more excited than Grace. We got it today fresh from the store, smells sooo good & it's so beautiful. It was love at first sight. Grace took a nap so I started putting the lights on and when she woke up I turned it on & the only thing she said was the only thing I was waiting for ... "WOW!!!", that just made everything so worth it. She is such a great helper passing the ornaments one by one ...







And speaking of ornaments, David's family has a tradition that I think it's pretty cool, his mom used to give each one of her kids an ornament every year, so he has a full box of ornaments that now decorate beautifully our tree.

This one is from the year I was born!!!


I'm so happy & excited that I literally can't wait until Christmas morning gets here!

Happy Birthday Gracie

ALMOST dosh ...

I'm seriously freeking out!

What I'm thankful for ...

This year has been really rough in some aspects for our family but I'm so glad that together we overcome them with love & hope.

This year I'm so very THANKFUL for:

• My daughter
• My husband
• My mother
• Jr.
• Our family in Mexico
• Our family in Colorado
• Our family in Kansas
• Our health
• Our friends
• Our house
• The food that fill up our fridge & pantry
• The cars that take us from point A to point B everyday
• The clothes that keep us from being cold
• The technology that conect us with our loved ones
• Blizzards @ Dairy Queen

I know I'm forgetting a lot of things but what I wanted to say is that I'm thankful I'm alive to share good and bad moments with the people I love.

& since thursday is also my baby's birthday & I don't want to mixed this 2 holidays together, HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!!!

May your tummy be full of delicious food & your heart of the love of the people you most care about!

The official family pictures 2010

We met with my friend Heather to get our family pictures for this year, I think she did a great job!!!

Here are some of my favorites since she took over 1000!!!


{I love this one! (I can't eat her & her lollipop until I die}


{My family}

 






{Awwww, what else can I say?}

 

{She is sooo big!} Everytime I say her birthday is coming up, every single one person would say if she is 3!
 


I died of cuteness & when I came to life I thought of how lucky we are to have my mom with us, most people complain all the time about their in laws including me, but David never do that, he loves my mother as if she was his own mother & that makes my heart very very happy!


That lollipop made it to almost 100% of the pictures but as long as it keep her happy I really don't care :)


{Can you say daddy's girl?}


My handsome & shy blue eyed husband, I love him to pieces!!! Thank you por putting up with my crazyness baby!







We had so much fun & we I can't wait to do it again next year!