Spring-series II.

With the warmer weather here, we've got the recipe of the great lemon sparkle cupcakes for a perfect picnic. So spring into it!

Lemon Sparkle Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream 2/3 cup of shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with 2/3 cup of milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel.Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. 

Combine topping ingredients: 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg; sprinkle a rounded 1/2 teaspoonful over each cupcake. Bake 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

 Sometimes we may forget to focus on what will make us happier, like being outside and seeing the amazing flowers and tree blossoms right outside our doors. Of course work and daily eating and exercising can add happiness, but when we focus on what can bring more happiness this springtime, it can inspire us to take action on planting that garden or planning that vacation or reaching out to friends to go have more outdoor fun, or buying that new bike to take out on trails.

Halloween meals

Fun-sized treats have their place, but why not go beyond the candy corn this year with a sweet or savory recipe that won't scare you away?

Apple bites

These toothsome treats are a fun and healthy break from Halloween sweets.
 

What you'll need

·         Apples

·         Slivered almonds

(If you're not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.)

How to make it

1.  Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

Pizza Mummies

Disguises aren't just for Halloween. Surprise your family with these dressed-up, spooky-looking snacks any time of year.

What you'll need

·         English muffins

·         Pizza sauce

·         Black olives

·         Scallions

·         Red or green pepper

·         Cheese sticks or slices

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 180º C. For each mummy, spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin (toast it first, if you like). Set olive slices in place for eyes and add round slices of green onion or bits of red or green pepper for pupils.

2. Lay strips of cheese across the muffin for the mummy's wrappings.

3. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasty.

„Bird Milk”

We all remember this delicious dessert which our grandmothers used to prepare from time to time.

Preparation is not as complicated as it sounds, and no, birds are not involved. I'm telling these because, I remember when I was a child, I always teased my grandmother asking her if there are any birds in milk.  

Actually its name comes from the egg whites foam floating on the vanilla milk custard, giving the suggestion of white birds floating on a milk lake, or floating islands.
Birds Milk is a classic french recipe, very easy to make and is always a favorite for the entire family.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

150 g sugar

1200 ml milk

1 vanilla powder

Preparation:

Separate the egg yolks from egg white.

Using a mixer make a hard foam of egg whites.

Add 50 g of sugar to the foam and mix well.

Put 700 ml milk in a pot and heat it.

When the milk boils, using a spoon, put the egg white foam in the milk (they will look like dumplings).

Leave it for a minute, then boil the other side.

When the egg white foam is boiled, take them out from the milk and place them in a strainer/colander.

Put the egg yolks, 100 g of sugar and vanilla powder in a bowl and stir until they are well blended.

Add 500 ml milk to this content; stir again until is well blended.

Filter the milk in which you boiled the egg white foam.

Put the filtered milk into another pot and boil again at low heat.

Add the egg yolk diluted with milk into the boiling milk and stir continuously.

Boil until you get a creamy content (about 10 minutes).

When it's ready, pour the content in a bowl and let it cool down.

Then place the boiled egg white foam on surface of the cream.

Reap the harvest of your work! :)