Snickerdoodle Muffins

Hello all,

I think we've established here on Sugar Mountain that I have a bit of a muffin obsession. I'm sure you are thinking "Totally understandable - muffins are freaking amazing" but in case you are one of the few who still doubts the delectable delight that is the muffin, I bring you these Snickerdoodle Muffins as proof.

Of course, you could also check out Strawberries & Cream Muffins, Lemon Streusel Coffee Cake Muffins, Red Velvet Muffins, or any other muffin lovin' recipe on my Recipe Index Page.

We will make a believer out of you.

Besides their deliciousness, I also love muffins because they are simple. If I have a bake-o-phobic friend who wants to learn how to whip up something sweet, I always point to a muffin recipe. They are so forgiving and so much fun; once you start you will quickly end up with millions of muffins in your kitchen.

Though, to be fair, these muffins were a tad more like cupcakes in preparation. Creaming butter and sugar are usually not on my "To-Do" when I'm making muffins, but the photos on EatmeDelicious were absolutely mouthwatering and I could not resist trying them. I also love any excuse to break out my Vietnamese Cinnamon. :D But even if you are a new baker or inexperienced, do not shy away from these!

Different does not always mean difficult.

Say hello to the thickest muffin batter known to man. You will need (or have after this!) some serious arm muscles to work that thing into shape.

Using an ice cream scoop, you measure out the batter and drop it into a cinnamon sugar mixture, and it holds its shape. Weird.

Roll it around real quick and plop it into a heavily greased muffin pan. They may look a little humble now, but oh, just wait. The smell alone that fills your house (or my tiny college apartment) is enough to get anyone craving a snickerdoodle. Be prepared for the masses to come running.

Not only were these fun to make (and eat of course!) they also ensured my hopes that Fall is on it's way. The crisp, cool air in the morning, the slow incorporation of cardigans and sweaters into people's wardrobes,   Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks, and now Snickerdoodle Muffins.

My life is complete, for now anyway.

Check back next Tuesday for more Fall-weather Favorites and Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies!

Happy Baking!

Snickerdoodle Muffins Via EatMeDelicious

2 sticks unsalted butter, softenend
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cup flour

1 tbsp cinnamon + 1/2 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and heavily grease muffin pans with cooking spray or butter. In a small bowl,  combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.
4. Add flour mixture and sour cream to egg mixture in an alternating fashion, starting and ending with the flour. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, measure out muffins one at a time, and drop the batter into the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Roll around in mixture, being sure to cover completely, then place muffin in greased muffin pan. Repeat until you run out of muffin batter.
6. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let cool in pan 10-15 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

makes approximately 12-16 muffins

Homemade Red Lobster Biscuits

Hello friends!

I know; it's been so long. I apologize but it's been a bit hectic here and I've succumbed to some laziness when it comes to the kitchen. But this will have been worth the wait; I promise. I bring you a recipe I've discovered online, for the Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits that I know you all crave the way I do every time you see their commercials.

Yes, my friends, they can be made at home with a whopping 5 ingredients and under 30 minutes. We must share this news with the world!

Here's your major cast of characters: Bisquick, cheddar cheese, and garlic powder. Mix these together with some milk and that's it on the biscuit end of the equation. The simplicity is absolutely mind-blowing; how did we never discover this sooner?

Into a 400 degree oven they go for about 10 minutes, and while they do you whip up a magical concoction of melted butter, oregano, and garlic salt. Take the biscuits out....

brush with butter mixture, then back in the oven they go for another 5-6 minutes.

And that's it.

Yes. Really. That's it.

Oh, and ready for this? Not only do they taste just like Red Lobster's infamous biscuits, because they are made with Bisquick this recipe can be converted into a GLUTEN FREE CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT. No longer do those with the dreaded allergy have to sacrifice the taste of these biscuits. Just pick up the gf bisquick mix, and keep everything else the same. It's that simple, that wonderful, and that delicious.

These are my last two weeks with the family so I will admit posts will be fewer and far between for awhile. Once September rolls around though and I'm back at Rutgers I'll be sharing sweet treats with everyone I meet and I'll be sure to share them here, as always, with you. :)

Happy Baking!

Homemade Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Via JoyfulAbode 

2 cups Bisquick Mix
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2/3 cup milk

2 tbsp melted butter
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease one baking sheet with cooking spray
2. Stir together bisquick, cheese, and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Stir in milk, using hands if necessary. Mixture will be very thick and sticky. This is okay.
3. Drop large dollops of batter onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven.
4. While biscuits are baking, stir together melted butter, oregano and garlic salt. Remove biscuits from oven, brush with butter mixture, then return to oven for another 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.

My 100th Blog Post & Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Hello friends!

I still can't quite wrap my head around the idea that this is my 100th post on OnSugarMountain. It's been a little over a year since I started this baking blog, and it's taught me so much.

Some quick tidbits I've learned about baking:

1. Cupcakes are not always easy. Do not look down upon a cupcake. They can be quite awesome and take more work than you might imagine. See Banana Split Cupcakes & Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

2. Stuffing anything with nutella is an AWESOME idea and we should all try to do it as often as we can. See Nutella Stuffed Sugar Cookies & Nutella Stuffed Cupcakes

3 .Muffins are NOT just ugly cupcakes. Muffins can be sweet little mouthfuls of heaven without any frosting. See Strawberries & Cream Muffins

4. Eggless Cookie dough exists, can be eaten without getting sick, and is freaking fantastic. See Cookie Dough Topped Brownies

5. Baking can bring people together in ways that nothing else can. We can make friends, stuff our faces, and do it all while helping out those less fortunate than us.

On a larger scale and with the risk of sounding philosophical, this blog and all the adventures that accompany it led me to learn a great deal about myself. I know I said this blog was to document my adventures in baking until I opened up a bakery of my own, but I've realized something; the part I love the most about baking, eating, food, all of it, is the experience, and I could never turn it into a job that I'll eventually resent. Seeing people's faces light up when I bring in brownies to work, or hearing a collective "mmmm" as everyone takes a bite, I know I've brightened up their day, if only for a moment. I love that.

I love it so much that turning into something I will stress about is not an option. I could never risk turning baking into an activity I look at with exhausted eyes and think "I so do not want to bake today." Food, for me, will always be about the experience, about enjoying every single morsel of a meal and most importantly, sharing it with friends and family.

So opening my own bakery may not happen, but that doesn't mean I can't change the way we all have come to see food. How can I do this you ask? By doing exactly what I am doing right now. Blogging. Writing. Sharing. Doing. Food is such an intrical part of our lives but we've let it fall to the wayside in lieu of other "more important" things to stress about, such as our jobs, the economy etc etc. OR we stress about food too much and jump on every dietary bandwagon that rears its ugly head.

I want to remedy this. I want people to experience the love that can come from food. Our lives, now more than ever before, need balance. What better way to balance the stresses of our everyday lives than relaxing to come together around a table?

And so, drumroll please....

I'm starting a new blog this September!

On Sugar Mountain will still be up and running twice a week, but I hope that you will will come check out my new blog, The Foodie Files, where I hope to show people just how important food is to each and every one of us.

Phew. Lots of sharing going on in this post. Now it's finally time for the food!


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. Make them. You'll love them. I promise. It's like a chewy oatmeal cookie, riddled with chocolate chips, baked into tiny cakes then covered with a mind-blowing cinnamon sugar frosting. Give one of these to a new acquaintance and I'm betting you two will be bffls in no time.

Lastly, I want to thank each and every one of you who read my blog. It makes my day to see comments posted about what I bake or a new follower pop up on my Dashboard. I've met wonderful people in creating this blog and I hope to meet so many more.

Until next time,

Happy Baking!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Via HowSweetEats

3/4 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup oats
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips tossed in a sprinkle of flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line one 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
2. Beat egg and sugar until smooth, then beat in melted butter and vanilla.
3. Add oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to egg mixture and stir until incorporated. Stir in milk then fold in chocolate chips.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into cups then bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes or until tops spring back lightly when touched. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Cinnamon Sugar Chip Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp milk (optional)

1. Beat butter until light and creamy, then slowly beat in powdered sugar.
2. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add milk if frosting is too thick.
3. Fold in chocolate chips.

Blueberry Pie Bars

Hello friends!

Who knew that while gallavanting through Portland I would actually get a chance to bake up something myself?

Well, I did. My boyfriend, Josh, had come to me a few days before vacation to tell me that his grandmother (a master baker if I ever knew one) wanted to know if I'd like to bake something for the family while I was up there.

I, of course, said yes, not realizing just how much his family loves food. By the time it came down to it, I was convinced they were as in love food as I was (a scary thought), and baking for a whole group of foodies was now slightly intimidating. Especially after experiencing Standard Baking Company, Two Fat Cats Bakery, and of course, Josh's grandma's out-of-this-world carrot cake. Oh, and his grandpa's sticky buns. All from scratch.

But, I had my plan. I knew blueberries were a big deal up in Maine, so I had bookmarked this recipe from Kirbie's Cravings for Blueberry Pie Bars. They seemed simple enough but still able to pack a punch, and I really was (as always) in it to win it.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention: do you see these eggs?

Now you know me; as a college student I can't afford to jump on the organic bandwagon. But when I didn't have enough eggs and mentioned this to Josh's grandmother, she said simply "oh we will see if Karen's chickens laid any today."

Yes, my friends, these eggs came from a chicken that morning. They do not joke around up here about fresh ingredients. Josh's aunt Karen owns a few, and now I had the honor of utilizing the freshest eggs I could ever possibly hope to obtain in my blueberry pie bars. I love this place.

So, into the oven it goes, and thank you Kirbie's Cravings, because the scent of this quickly filled the house and even reached the adjacent porch. Soon I had questions of "how long until it'd be done?" "Do we have ice cream to go with it?"

We served them up with a small scoop of vanilla, and I have to say I, with everyone else at the table, cleaned my plate when it came to these. A golden, crispy top with an almost custard-like texture in the center, bursting with fresh blueberry flavor - these are a crowd-pleaser if I ever knew one. They went almost too quickly in my opinion, and so I think it may be necessary to double the recipe next time I make it.

So ends my wonderful vacation in Maine. Parting was of course, such sweet sorrow, but I can only hope that I will return to the food-loving city again soon so that I may explore even more of it's deep culinary treasures.

Blueberry Pie Bars Slightly Adapted Via Kirbie's Cravings

for the crust/topping:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

3/4 cup cold butter

for the filling:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

3/8 cup flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

16 oz fresh blueberries

**Preheat oven to 350 and grease one 9x9 in pan with butter/cooking spray**

1. Make the crust/topping. Sift together flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut cold butter into the flour mixture. Use pastry cutter or two knives to begin mixing butter into flour mixture, then use clean hands to continue until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Save 1 1/2 cups of the mixture for the topping and use the rest to press into a well-greased 9x9 square pan.

2. Make the filling. Whisk together sugar and eggs in medium bowl until well combined. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla extract. Fold in flour until just combined then gently fold in blueberries. Pour filling on top of crust and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes, until it just begins to brown around the edges.

3. Serve up like a cobbler while still warm OR let cool completely to cut into bars.

Falling in Love with Portland Part Two

Hello all!

I knew you'd be back - who isn't intrigued by Mashed Potato Pizza? Or maybe you truly were curious about how food-obsessed the city of Portland is...either way I'm glad you're back because I have lots to share today!

First on the list today is Miccuci's Grocery, specializing in high quality cheese, wines, and breads. An adorably nostalgic brick building, you are greeted with the scent of freshly baking bread coming from deep within the store, and aisles upon aisles of high quality ingredients, such as white truffle oil.

Yes, white truffle oil. Now maybe it's the college student mindset, but I almost bought this just to say I have white truffle oil in my pantry. Then of course I floated back down to reality and realized I knew not how to use this oil nor how I would justify paying for it when I had so many other places to see on my foodie adventures through Portland. One day, truffle oil, you will be mine AND I will know how to employ you in my kitchen.

As I traveled deeper into the grocery, past rows of wines I've never even heard of and the offering of gourmet Provolone cheese from my boyfriend, I found the source of the scent that emanates through the entire store: fresh bread. Behind this photo of Ciabatta lies a group of busy bakers, diligently working near hot-as-blazes ovens to churn out artisan loaves for happy customers.

Now I take a moment to pause in my adventures to remind everyone that, if you are like me and not around high-quality, fresh ingredients or artisan, gourmet foods all the time, the wonderful internet is here for you! Whether its high-quality Saigon cinnamon from the Gourmet section of Amazon or fair-trade Gourmet Chocolate from FineFoodSpecialists, becoming a gourmand is only a click away! Or, you know, just base your next move on how awesome the food is in the area. It's a key factor that is largely overlooked in my opinion; if HGTV would work that into House Hunters, maybe Josh would actually watch it with me without rolling his eyes.

Now, back to Portland.

My friends, this is the Willy Wonka of Popcorn Shoppes. We almost walked right by it on our way to mashed potato pizza (who doesn't love the sound of that?!) but I became intrigued by the flavor possibilites listed on the sign.

Who knew popcorn had such depth? They allow you to sample any flavor you want, but I was a bit wary of the more out-there flavors. I opted to try the olive oil/sea salt while my boyfriend plunged right in for the Key Lime Pie. Naturally we shared and I must say, it tasted eerily similar to Key Lime Pie. Almost too close in my opinion, but when asked how they do it, the young teenager working behind the register gave me the most vague reply ever. I bet it's magic. After sampling their wares that seems the only logical explanation to me.

NOW my friends we have come to the epic climax of my foodie adventure: Otto's Pizza. Thank you for being so patient; unless you just scrolled down immediately thinking "get to the mashed potato pizza already!" In which case, you are most likely not even reading this little paragraph anyway since you are mesmerized by...

MASHED POTATO, BACON, SCALLION PIZZA

Why did I scoff at my boyfriend for ordering an entire pie, thinking we could never finish it? How did I even manage to secure these two photos before the pizza vanished into thin air, or more specifically, our stomachs? WHY have I never been given the honor of eating this pizza before?

Friends, some questions are just not worth asking. Needless to say, we did finish this pizza, and even ordered single slices from their astounding list of gourmet pizzas before we slowly made our way to the ferry back home. I went to bed with the words "mashed potato pizza" on my lips and a smile on my face; my love affair with the city of Portland complete.

But you can't think I didn't bring my own baking skills to the table while up in Maine do you? Of course not. This little baker from Jersey has to represent too.

Check back this Friday to see what I baked and get the recipe for yourself!

~Jess

Portland, Maine - A Foodie Town After My Own Heart

Hello friends!

I've been so terrible with posting, but I just woke up from the most pleasant food coma ever. How was I induced into such a coma you may ask? It all started with a pleasant vacation to...

Maine!

Portland, Maine, and the surrounding small islands to be more specific. This little city stole my heart this past Memorial Day weekend when I journeyed there with my boyfriend, Josh, and his family. First we spent a day relaxing on Great Diamond Island then it was a fun-filled grub (and pub) crawl through Portland, but not before we enjoyed some fresh, from-scratch sticky buns, prepared with love by Josh's grandparents.

I will have to split this into two posts because I just couldn't help myself when taking photos. So today we will focus on, what else, the two out-of-this-world bakeries of Standard Baking Company and Two Fat Cats Bakery. Now I had already read about Standard in an article on Twitter about "Top Bakeries in the US", so I knew I was in for a real treat. In both taste and character it does not disappoint. With some of the friendliest staff to the most mind-blowing baguettes, I was swooning as soon as I stepped through the door.

From classics like baguettes, focaccia, and croissants, to delectable sweets like vanilla bean madeleines and morning buns with pecans - I just couldn't decide what to buy. I could have just bought one of everything, but I had many more food shops and restaurants to explore, and with my college student budget, choices had to be made. I went with a demi baguette and the vanilla bean madeleine, and I can see how the baguette was voted into that article in the first place. Hard, crusty exterior with a light-as-air interior that melts in the mouth. I am sadly wishing I had one right now as a matter of fact.

Where to next? Well, until recently, the sister bakery of Standard was Two Fat Cats. I heard that it was recently sold to another owner, but it was (according to any and everyone I encountered in my days there) a must-go-to in Portland. So off we trekked to see what Two Fat Cats had to offer...

Do you see those pies? It took all of my self control not to buy one (again - so many places to see, so many foods to eat!) but their scent left me feeling warm and cozy and wanting to curl up with a thick slice and a dollop of ice cream. But I had to buy something that could be eaten (without shame) all by myself, so I settled, as if settling were truly the right word, on this red velvet cupcake.

Note: I am not a delicate eater. I apologize if the way I dove into this cupcake upsets you, but this is how we eat cupcakes on sugar mountain; and I dare you to go into Two Fat Cats Bakery one day and see if you can leave without inhaling something in seconds. Moist and with the perfect amount of cream-cheese frosting - this cupcake lasted even less time than it appears in the photos. Ah, little cupcake, you never stood a chance.

I barely stepped into Portland before I became overwhelmed with just how much they love food there. Dare I say it, could I have found my dream city to retire to, where I can eat and enjoy food to its fullest potential without surprising and/or shocking my peers? The dedication to good food continues on Wednesday, when I share with you gourmet groceries, crazy popcorn flavors, and...

mashed potato bacon pizza.


Until Wednesday my fellow foodies!

~Jess