Spring is in the Air!

With the time change and the first day of Spring this past Sunday, I've been in the mood for baking. I stumbled on this delish recipe for blueberry muffins in the March issue of Woman's Day magazine.

 
Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

from Woman's Day Magazine

Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk (I used skim milk)
1 large egg, beaten
6 oz fresh blueberries (1 1/2 cups)

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or coat with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup of the sugar; make a well in the center.

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it melts, swirl the pan until the butter begins to brown and smell nutty, 2 to 3 minutes; remove from heat.

4. Pour the butter, milk and egg into the well of flour and stir to combine (a few lumps in the batter are OK—don’t overmix); fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups; sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 16 to 20 minutes. Let cool before unmolding.

These are so good that all of your neighbors and co-workers will want to know your recipe. Be sure to bring enough for everyone!

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What's in My Bag

It has been a whole month since I last posted! That kind of upsets me, but I know currently "life" is getting in the way. Anyway, I realized I'm missing out on doing something I love when I don't post, so here is my latest post to get back in the game. (Sometimes adages are so lame - if think about it literally, blogging is not a game).

I wanted to do a fun post about what's in my purse; essentially items I can't leave home without. Every woman has at least a few things she must carry with her at all times. Here's what's in my bag:

1. Michael Kors black leather wallet - I found this for a steal at Nordstrom Rack. Perfect for keeping all of my cards organized. Sleek and sophisticated; just the way I like it.
2. Clinque Almost Powder Makeup in Neutral Fair - By far the best powder I've found. I like my face to look fresh and light, never cakey. I swear by Clinque's light-weight formula and this compact is perfect for touch ups.
3. iPod Ear Buds - These are a must have when I'm trying to talk on my phone and drive. The buds have a speaker that when connected to my iPhone I can talk hands-free. Also, they come in handy for their main purpose of listening to music while I sweat it out at the gym.
4. CVS Maximum Redness Relief eye drops - My eyes tend to get strained while staring at my computer screen all day at work. I whip these drops out when the redness starts to set in and viola! My eyes are fresh and relieved once again. No one likes to look like a stoner in front of their colleagues.
5. True Blue Spa Look Ma, New Hands lotion - The dry winter really gives my hands that years-beyond-their-age look, so I need a thick, moisturizing hand lotion. This small tube is the perfect size for my purse and packs a moisturizing punch for my cracked digits. The softening paraffin smooths out the lines and leaves my hands soft as ever.
6. Nivea A Kiss of Recovery Healing Lip Care - Just like my hands, my lips always suffer winter's wrath. Luckily I discovered this great lip product that smooths and softens my chapped kisser and protects against sunburn with an SPF 6.
7. M.A.C. Lip Glass in Pink Poodle - This lip gloss has always been my go-to when I want a punch of color. Unlike other glosses that can be oily and wipe off right away, Lip Glass is lasting and thick so you don't have to reapply every few minutes. My other favorite color is C-Thru, which is a great neutral for when you want to go heavy on the eye makeup but not on the lips.
8. TRESemme TRES TWO Hair Spray - This miniature version of it's bold counterpart helps me tame my frizz on particularly humid days. I spray a couple spritzes into my hairbrush and run it through to get rid of fly aways or static.

Now that you know what's in my bag, what items can you not live without?

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