::muffin me crazy::

I love muffins for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee, but they are usually extremely fattening. I wanted to create a low fat muffin that still tasted delicious. These definitely hit the mark!

Jessica's Low Fat Banana Oat Muffins

=Preheat to 350º=

*1 cup oats, lightly crushed (you can do this in the food processor, or put them in a freezer bag and roll a rolling pin over them)

*1 cup all-purpose flour

*1 tsp baking soda

*1 tsp baking powder

*1/4 tsp cinnamon

*1/8 tsp nutmeg

*1/2 tsp salt

*1/3 cup sliced almonds (you could also used chopped pecans or walnuts)

*1/2 cup white sugar

*1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

*1/2 stick of butter, room temperature

*2 large eggs

*1 tsp vanilla

*2 large overripe bananas, smashed

*1/2 cup plain Greek non-fat yogurt

*2 tbsp milk

Combine dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, Cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and nuts. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter and sugars. Add eggs. Whisk until well combined, making sure you work out any lumps of brown sugar. Stir in vanilla, yogurt, mashed bananas and milk until smooth. Pour in dry ingredients. Gently fold into wet batter with a spatula until just mixed. DO NOT OVERMIX! (That's right, just walk away...) Batter should be lumpy. Spoon into paper-lined muffin tins. Fill each cup almost all the way up. Bake at 350º for 25-30 min, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from tins immediately and allow to cool on a rack (your counter top also works if you don't have one).

This recipe yields about one dozen muffins. I had a little extra batter, but I think my tins are a little smaller than standard. They tend not to rise much, so its OK to fill the cups pretty full. You could also add dried cranberries or chocolate chips to this if you wanted. I personally like my muffins to be a little less sweet, so next time I might omit the 1/2 cup of white sugar. You could probably bake this batter in a loafpan as well, just increase the cooking time and do the toothpick test. I encourage you to try my recipe and let me know what you think! Happy baking!

::cast iron 101::

My most prized cooking vessel is hands down, my 100+ year-old cast iron skillet. It was passed down to me from my grandmother, who received it from her father, who received it from his father. Not only is it a piece of family history, it makes magic in the kitchen. Cast iron heats quickly and evenly, and stays hot for a very long time. It can go from stove top to oven, no problem. Its slick non-stick surface makes it perfect for cooking just about everything. There are, however, rules about proper care that you must know in order to achieve a super slick surface and to keep it from rusting or cracking. This step by step guide will give you everything you need to start your very own cast iron love affair.

1)If you want a really good pan, go to an antique shop. Megamarts sell cast iron these days that have been preseasoned. I personally prefer to season the pans myself. And besides it's pretty neat to have something with a bit of history behind it.

2) Once you have your pan, its time to prepare it for seasoning. If it is an antique, chances are it will be dirty and possibly have some rust. Take a scouring pad and scrub the pan in warm mild soapy water. After you have given it a good scrub, immediately dry.

3) Now its time to season your pan. This creates a slick non-stick surface and keeps the pan from rusting. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Coat the inside of the pan with shortening, lard or bacon grease. Make sure you get the sides, but there is no need to cover the back side of the pan, just the surface you will be cooking in. Bake for one hour. Remove pan and wipe with a cloth or paper towel to redistribute the fat. Return to oven and bake for another hour. Remove from oven and wipe out any excess fat. This process can be repeated several times to create a stronger bond. Allow to cool completely before storing in a cool dry place.

4) Cleanup is simple but crucial to maintaining your skillet. NEVER, I REPEAT, NEVER put your pan in the dishwasher!!!!!!! (Ladies, make sure your husband/boyfriend knows this too in case he wants to try and be sweet by doing the dishes for you, and ends up ruining your pan...or your expensive wood cutting board......love you baby ;-D )This will remove the seasoning bond, and possibly rust out your pan. Some people say to rinse with warm water, but resist the urge to get the pan wet at all. To correctly clean your pan, remove as much food as possible. Then heat on the stove over medium-low, add a small amount of shortening or cooking oil and a good amount of salt. Take some paper towels or a dry washcloth and scrub the salt around to remove the rest of the food bits and create a super slick surface. Heating the pan will open the pores of the metal and help it clean easier. discard salt and wipe the pan out one final time. Allow to cool before storing.

5)Cooking Dos and Don'ts:

*Cast iron is great for frying, searing, sautéing and baking.

*Try to avoid cooking things in it that have a high acidity level, such as tomato sauce and lemon juice. This can break down the pan and possibly cause it to rust.

*Never put really cold liquid in a really hot pan. Not only could it splash up and burn you, but it could put a crack in your beautiful skillet.

*When baking things like cornbread or biscuits, always melt a little butter in the bottom first to make sure it slides out easily. It also makes a yummy crust on the bottom!

*Do not store leftovers in your pan. This can compromise the seasoning

*If possible, try to clean immediately after use. The longer you let a dirty pan sit, the harder it is to clean later! It can also weaken the seasoning

6) A few ideas for using your skillet:

*frying bacon (make sure to place bacon in a cold skillet with no oil to start!)

*baking biscuits

*cornbread

*searing steak

*searing a roast (before cooking it in a crock pot or dutch oven)

*fried fish

*southern fried chicken

*pancakes

*home fries

*Cinnamon rolls

*gravy

*omelettes

I hope I have encouraged you to adopt and enjoy your very own cast iron skillet! If you have any questions, please feel free to comment. :-)

::into shape, out of sadness::

As we make the change from summer to fall, I am quickly approaching my first 10 lbs lost. I still have a ways to go before I reach my goal weight, but it feels amazing to see results. I am now able to walk/jog a mile around our pond five days a week. When I first started, I could barely do 1/4 mile without feeling terrible. Within the next few weeks I hope to be able to jog the entire mile without stopping. I have started taking Penny with me for the first lap. She really loves it, but I have to take her back to the apartment after a while. She gets tired and has a difficult time keeping up. I have started to see a slight difference in the way my clothes fit. I am so excited to buy new clothes after I reach my goal weight!! Apart from my weight, I feel amazing. I haven't been this profoundly happy since my childhood. Getting into shape has really been an huge mood lifter. It has been so much more effective than any antidepressant I have ever taken. It's like I woke up and flipped a switch one day. Something happened inside me. I cant explain it but I have more motivation, more drive and more love for life than ever before.