Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

October 16, 2017October 10, 2017

I have a love/hate relationship with fall. I love crunching through fallen leaves on the sidewalk, bundling up in cozy sweaters, and switching from iced lattes to warm cappuccinos. However, in the back of my head, I know the season will be over before I’m ready and winter will be upon us. Oh, how I hate the cold! So while I’m enjoying fall, I feel the impending weight of winter dragging me down.

To keep my spirits lifted I made a batch of pumpkin spice muffins. This may seem too simple an act to brighten one’s day, but it transforms your home into a cozy abode. The warmth of the oven and sweet scent of spiced pumpkin lingered in our apartment throughout the evening. As I savored one of these cupcakes I allowed myself to forget about winter and fully enjoy the beauty of this season. Follow the recipe below to make these cupcakes at your own home and celebrate fall to the fullest!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 C pumpkin puree
1/2 C maple syrup
1/2 C coconut oil, melted
2 eggs
Cream cheese frosting

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Line a muffin tin with liners
Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl
In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil and eggs
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry until well combined
Divide the batter into the muffin tin
Bake for 15-20 minute
Let the cupcakes cool before frosting

Pancake Poppers

October 9, 2017

Gone are the days where Ian could wake up, hop on his bike and be at work in 10 minutes. Since we moved to Milwaukee, he has been adjusting to something foreign – a morning commute! This has meant walking up earlier to budget enough time to endure the morning rush hour and still make it to work by 8 a.m. Being the worrier I am, I was nervous that he would skip breakfast in order to get a few more minutes of shut eye. Therefore, I began brainstorming quick grab-and-go breakfast options I could prepare the night before.

Pancakes are usually a weekend treat for us, but these mini pancake poppers are perfect for a busy morning. I made a big batch on Sunday night so we would have enough to last the week. Divided up into small containers, these mini pancakes can be easily thrown in a lunch bag and heated up at work. Who said morning had to be difficult?! With a small bit of preperation you can have a relaxing morning and a full belly – even during the work week!

Pancake Poppers

Ingredients:

1 C. Bisquick
3/4 C. water
1/2 C. chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Lightly grease a mini muffin tin
Mix together the Bisquick and water until the batter is smooth
Fold in the chocolate chips and spoon batter into muffin tins
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until tops are slightly golden
Let cool and store in the fridge

Month in Review: September, 2017

October 2, 2017

This past month has been one of excitement and pure terror. Picking up your life and moving to a new city is always a risk, but one which Ian and I had prayed about over the years. Things began to click into place in August, and before I knew it, we were renting a moving truck and packing up our belongings. September started with a bang as we settled into our apartment and ventured out into our new surroundings.

Moving to a bigger city, one of my fears was missing out the harvest season. To my surprise, I discovered a quaint apple orchard only half an hour away. Driving on the windy country roads surrounded by fall foliage on our way to the orchard made my heart overflow with relief and joy. I instantly fell in love with the orchard and felt a few of my worries melt away.

Quickly after settling into our new apartment, I embarked on a road trip to the twin cities to celebrate my friend’s bachelorette party! It was a weekend full of laughter, reminiscing and getting a thigh workout on a peddle pub. The highlight of the trip was belting out Backstreet Boy songs while peddling down the busy streets of Minneapolis.

Once I was back in town I stumbled across an event called Doors Open. It was a two-day event where over 100 buildings in Milwaukee opened their doors and let members of the public stop in and look around. Some even offered free tours! Ian and I jumped at the chance to be nosey and get a peek inside unique buildings downtown. The list was too long to see everything, but we managed to take a tour of Radio 88.9, soak in skyline views from Catholic Finacial Life’s rooftop pool, touch Joan of Arc’s stone on Marquette’s campus and walk the corridors of City Hall.

Our month ended cheering on the Badgers with my brother and sister. It felt surreal to enjoy an afternoon on campus knowing we would be driving home later that night. Day trips were rare when we lived in De Pere, therefore being able to casually hang out with my siblings was a real treat. To make the day even better – the Badgers won!