Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

This is the 2nd delicious recipe I have made this week, see the previous post for the first one. This one takes a little more time and effort, but is as equally delicious. Over the past 6 years,I have been on the hunt for a really good blueberry muffin. I have been trying to find something similar to what I used to be able to get at my on-campus coffee shop while I was in college. I am excited to say, I have finally found it. I originally found the recipe from Little Sweet Baker. I changed my recipe by using 2 cups of blueberries instead of 1 1/2 cups (I like a blueberry thick muffin) and I struggled with the streusel so I found a different recipe for it. The topping still did not turn out like a crumbly cake so I am going to work on perfecting it for future recipes.





Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Prep- 15 minutes
Cook- 20 minutes
Total Time- 35 minutes
Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:
Muffins:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (I used 2% but any will do)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups fresh blueberries

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F and spray or line a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. Prepare the streusel topping by mixing the sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Then cut in the butter until crumbly. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together using a whisk. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter with the sugar, add the eggs, mix, add the milk and vanilla, and mix again.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently combine using a spatula until all mixed well. Fold in the blueberries.
5. Divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups, top with the streusel and bake for 5 minutes at 425F. Then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the heat to 375F and bake for another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

*When I divided the batter, I completely filled the cups, this provides a nice muffin top, but remember to place a pan under the muffin pan to catch any overflow.

Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters

Yes, I put sea salt, chocolate, and almonds in the title of this post. Yes, this is a recipe I tried this week and let me tell you....it is amazingly delicious and very easy to make with only 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:
2 cups of whole almonds
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolates
sea salt

Directions:
1. Place almonds in a single layer on a baking pan covered with parchment paper and place in oven for 10 minutes, stirring one time, at 300 degrees.
2. Melt the chocolate either using a double broiler on the stove top or in the microwave. If using the microwave, use a medium size safe microwavable bowl. Melt the chocolate in 30 seconds increments, stirring between each time. It took about 3 minutes for the chocolate to melt.
3. Stir the almonds into the chocolate, making sure to coat almonds completely. Scoop a spoonful of almonds out and onto wax paper. If wanting large clusters using a larger spoon and scoop 10-12 almonds at a time, if wanting smaller clusters use a small spoon and scoop 6-8 almonds. Continue till all almonds are used.
4. Sprinkle sea salt on top of the clusters and allow to set. For mine to set quickly, I placed in the fridge.
5. Enjoy! You can s
tore clusters in fridge for up to four weeks.
 

Bubbly & Brunch Bridal Shower

This past weekend, I, along with the four other bridesmaids, hosted a bridal shower in honor of my sister and her upcoming nuptials. The theme was Bubbly & Brunch and I chose to carry her wedding colors into the bridal shower. We used navy and white as the main colors with pops of red here and there. 

The invitation was inspired by a design on Pinterest and I re-created it using PicMonkey.

To add some color to the walls and additional decor, I made these paper flowers using a tutorial I found on Pinterest.

The mimosa bar was a huge success. We provided blue champagne flutes to match the colors of the shower and it was also used as the party favor. There was champagne with three different juice options and four different garnish choices. We also provided some sparkling juice for some of our younger guests and our guests who are expecting.

To determine who's glass was who's I used my Cricut to cut paper rings and then had guests write their name.

The food choices included mini quiches (some with meat and some vegetarian), french toast & smoked sausage kabobs, waffle bitty bites, mini hash brown casseroles, fruit pizzas, fruit kabobs, veggie pizza, and sliced honey ham. For dessert we offered two different donut cakes, a powdered donut cake and a variety of homemade donuts from a local donut shop.

We played Guess the Bride's Age. Guests had to look at the pictures and guess what age the bride was according to the photo. It was a ton of fun to find the pictures and play the game.

My sister, the bride (3rd in from left), and her bridesmaids. 

Flag Banner DIY

I love signs and banners at parties, they are very easy to make and add a pop to anything. When hosting my sister's bridal shower this past weekend, I created a simple "Miss to Mrs" flag banner to decorate one of the corners. To make my life simpler and to make the banner even in size, I used the We R Memory Keepers Banner Punch Board. I absolutely love this tool and wonder what I did prior to having it. It is so easy to use, with printed guides on the board itself. It comes with an easy to hold blade and it's own hole punch. The board also allows for you to create pennant, flag, or crest style. Below is how I created this awesome banner with links to the materials I used.

Materials needed:
Card stock (any size and color)
Paper Trimmer
Cricut (for letters)
We R Memory Keepers Banner Punch Board
Scissors
String
Adhesive

Directions:

First, Gather materials needed to begin and decide what size you would like your banner to be as well as how many you need. 

I chose to make my flags 7 inches long and 5 inches wide. 

Next I placed the paper one sheet at a time inside the punch board. I made a flag so I didn't need to use the printed guides on the board, but if making a pennant, you can follow the guides to help give you the exact size you want. Using the cutting tool provided with the board, slide the blade following the guides across the paper. Repeat on the other side. 

To punch a hole in the flag, I placed it in the nifty hole punch slot on the board and pushed down, repeating on the other side. Then, I used my Cricut to cut the letters I needed, adhered them to the flags. Last, I used red/white striped baker's twine to hang the sign.

Bucket List

A bucket list is a number of experiences or achievements a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. It came from the term "kicked the bucket" referring to when someone has passed away. There are thousands of things that could be on one's bucket list and many times I do not realize when an experience is on mine until I am in the process of experiencing it or I plan to experience it. I have a pretty lengthy bucket list. I think my list is realistic and definitely achievable by the end of my lifetime (if I live for another 50 years give or take), I think that is a perk of being an occupational therapist. When writing goals for clients we make sure they are measurable and achievable. Why create a goal someone cannot reach? Instead create goals one can reach and then create new goals to push them further. I feel this way about my bucket list. As I accomplish tasks on my list, I add new ones. Below s my current list of things I wish to accomplish (in no particular order and I am sure as I get older or get to experience new things, I will realize it should have been added to this list a while ago) in the next 50 or so years.

• Visit all 50 states (over 1/2 way there)
• Travel Europe
• Go on a road trip with my best friend Courtney to Sheboygan, WI in a red convertible and a package of Depends
• Volunteer in a 3rd world country
• Adopt a child
• See the Northern Lights
• Visit Manitoba with dad and watch the polar bear migration
• Take my Grandma on a Caribbean cruise and see her swim with a dolphin
• Go on a Disney Cruise
• Throw a dart at a map and travel to wherever it lands or go on a road trip with no planned destination
• Put a lock on a love bridge
• Pay a stranger's tab at a restaurant
• Ride a gondola and eat gelato in Italy
• Go to the Olympics as a spectator
• Spend NYE in NYC
• Collect shot glasses from every continent (All I need is one more from Antarctica; if anyone knows anyone going!)
• Read every James Patterson book written (besides his Juvenile series)
• Attend the Kentucky Derby
• Go skydiving
• See a volcano 
• Go horseback riding
• Go to the World's Fair
• Stand in the 4 corners
• Go on a hot air balloon ride
• Go whale watching
• Visit an elephant sanctuary
• Visit with family in Luca, Italy
• Visit Ghiloni Cafe in Kirkintilloch Glasgow
• Attend Cherry Blossom Festival in DC
• Visit John Denver's Memorial in Aspen, CO
• See the Waterfire in Providence, RI
• Stay at Riverside Inn B&B in Warsaw, KY
• Visit Puget Sound in Washington
• Purchase every item on my Amazon wish list
• Attend a Seattle Seahawks game in Seattle
• Attend a New Orleans Saints game in NOLA
• Be debt free
• Watch the sunrise in one place and set in another
• Visit the Equator
• Stay at a resort in the Maldives
• Experience Christmas in NYC (done 2x!)
• Snorkel in the Caribbean ocean (found out it's one of my favorite things to do)
• Meet a dolphin
• Go on a cruise
• Be a Maid of Honor (2x completed)
• Graduate college
• Go to Disney World and visit all 4 kingdoms
• Go to NYC for World Autism Awareness Day and see the ESB lit blue
• Get a tattoo 

Calendars, Schedules, To Do Lists....oh my!

Organization is huge for me. I love and thrive when I am organized, I am able to be focused and driven to accomplish tasks. I have been organized over the years and wanted to touch on some of the things I love to use to keep me organized.
One of my favorite things to use and probably the longest lasting thing I have used is a planner. My favorite planner is the one by Vera Bradley, I have used the same style since I was in college. It is the perfect size (not too small or too big) and it is durable, lasting the total 14 months it provides. Planners help me remember events in advance which is important to me since I have a semi-busy schedule. If something comes up and it is within 4 weeks of the event, I usually cannot attend as I already have plans. Looking at my calendar now, I have two open weekends (absolutely no plans) until the first weekend of June.
My second favorite thing I love to use to keep me organized is schedules. This is very similar to a planner, but this involves other peoples schedules, work schedule, and meal prep as well. In order for my planner to work and for me to be organized I have to know what others are doing as well. I can't plan something for work or home if my boss or family is unable to participate. The one thing that I am struggling with is a meal prep schedule. Each Sunday my mother and I plan our meals for the week, but we don't write any of our meal choices down. We have started to do this but we do attempt to think of meals so we can create a grocery list. We love oriental food but are kind of sick of it at the moment so we Pinterest often to find new recipes to try.
The last thing I use and have been for years as well is a handwritten to do list. I love, love, love lists. They help me stay organized as I can categorize and write everything I need down and have on hand. When planning a party I can outline/list each aspect of the party, then I can list all the decorations I want to have or make and finally I can create a food/grocery list. I have a running to-do list for personal things in my life and I love to mark things off, helps me feel accomplished. I also have a running to-do list for work tasks that I need to accomplish. Sometimes when I am re-writing a to-do list, I will place things that I have already crossed off to re-cross them off. I know it's weird but it helps with the organization of my life. Using an electronic list doesn't do my to-do list and organization justice, so it has to be handwritten.
One of the newest things I have been utilizing is my phone's reminders app. To increase my organization and to work on time management (which I can struggle with at times), I started a morning routine list and a night time routine list with a timed reminder daily. I have set personal reminders that I need to accomplish each morning and night and they are awesome! Before these reminder lists I would run around every morning and always be late out the door. Now, in the morning I am standing around or actually eating breakfast before I leave. I am able to go to bed without making a mental list of things I need to do in the morning before I leave for work. When I was making mental lists I was forgetting at least 99.9% of the list.
I am sure there are additional things I use to help me stay organized, but these are definitely the top three. When I am not organized I am stressed and I have anxiety; I feel like I am a chicken running around with my head cut off. No one wants to see that and I don't like feeling that way.

A Christmas Card to Remember

"Amanda- Merry Christmas! I wanted to let you know how grateful I am to be working with you. Out of all of the co-workers, I think I've had the most opportunity to chat with you- and I really appreciate our conversations. It's evident that you love people. Not that you are just extroverted and get excited around them but that you really care for people. I see this with your kids so often. You are always coming up with such fun ideas so that they will learn and be challenged. You genuinely care for them and want them to grow. You pour yourself out for them, sacrificing much for their good.
It's really self-less and is such an encouragement to be around. Thank you for that example- loving unconditionally and doing your job with all of your heart!
I cant help but think about Jesus at Christmas. How we were hopeless and lost, but God had so much love for us that he sent his Son into the world to die for us and reconcile us to him. To me, thats the ultimate example of unconditional love- and I can attest personally that knowing Jesus better has helped me really understand what it means to love God and others. I'm grateful when I see examples of that love- and I see that example in you. I pray you too would be encouraged and drawn to Jesus this Christmas- that you would be filled with love and joyous peace from knowing him. Appreciate you!"

I often tell others (generally through a card or note) how their personal relationship with God and involvement in Church has helped my faith and relationship with God grow. Not very often do I receive something that says the opposite, how I show examples throughout my life.

I received this note in a Christmas card a few years ago from a fellow co-worker. I was so touched and honored that they put a lot of thought into a simple card around a big holiday when a lot of times society may stigmatize it for revenue and presents. To know that they sat down and put effort into this note, means so much to me still. I keep the card in my Bible and read it when I am feeling discouraged. It is a great reminder of why I do what I love and that ultimately God is the answer for everything in my life.  He showed the greatest example of unconditional love and we can learn and lean on that example.