Today turned really cold, winter cold and I was thinking about making something warming and tasty and decided on these.

They are muffins, muffins that really do taste like donuts.  I discovered these on Deb's blog, Works in Progress..., thought they sounded delicious and they are.

Muffins That Taste Like Doughnuts

Ingredients

• 1-¾ cups Flour
• 1-½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
• ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• ⅓ cup Oil (I used Sunflower oil)
• ¾ cup White Sugar
• 1 whole Egg
• ¾ cup Milk
 
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• ¼ cup Butter
• ⅓ cup White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Preparation Instructions

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Bake at 180C (350F) degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.
Turn muffins out while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool. 
Makes 12

Original recipe found at  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/07/muffins-that-taste-like-doughnuts/ 
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We didn't let them cool.  We all tried them warm and they were delicious.  Hubby was outside working on some house maintenance, he was shivering and most appreciative of a hot doughnut tasting muffin.  I will definitely be making these again.


Wishing you all a lovely week.


Anne  xx

Chicken and pearl barley soup

There's nothing quite as nourishing and comforting as chicken and pearl barley soup.  I don't have a specific recipe with specific quantites of ingredients but I always use a chopped chicken fillet for the chicken meat pieces.  Here is what I used in Friday night's soup.

onions, diced

cellery, diced

chicken fillet, chopped into small pieces

carrots, diced

zucchini (corgette), diced

pearl barley

fresh herbs (parsley and sage from the garden), roughly chopped

salt and pepper

olive oil to saute onion, cellery and chicken

boiling water from the kettle

I start off by chopping the onion and cellery to saute and then add small chopped pieces of chicken fillet to brown.  Add the herbs and stir.  Add a kettle full of boiling water to the pan.  Nothing fancy about this, it just reduces the time it takes to get the water boiling on the stove.  Add pearl barley, I used about 3/4 cup 'cos I like thick soup.  Add chopped vegetables, whatever you feel like using.  I usually like to add parsnip, but it's a bit on the expensive side at the moment so I didn't buy any.  Season with salt and pepper.  Simmer until chicken, vegetables and barley are cooked.  Adjust seasoning.  Enjoy.

We ate our soup last night with mini cheese and corn muffin which were in the freezer left over from Genevieves party.  YUM!

Have you eaten something delicious or comforting today.  Includes chocolate!

Anne  xx