Baked Pumpkin Donuts

I am considering signing up for an official half marathon.  I am super nervous about this, but it's something that I really want to do at some point.  

A few years ago, my best friend Caryn got me hooked on running.  Since then, I have made it part of my lifestyle and it has been great.  I love running outdoors and enjoying the sights and weather around me.  I also love how when I run, I can feel way less guilty about trying all the treats I love to bake.  And, since it is getting cold old, I have been running less and baking more...

So, as the holidays approach, I am considering signing up for a half marathon as a way to fulfill my goal and motivating myself to get back into a solid running schedule in the spring.  

Speaking of baking all the time...my most recent baking adventure was more donuts! I LOVE my mini donut pan.  When I purchased it, I was a tiny bit skeptical about how much I would use it.  However, after making donuts, successfully, three times, I am in love and feel no regrets.  This pan is fantastic!  Baked donuts are a great treat for breakfast, snack, or dessert.  These donuts were made because my friend Lauren love pumpkin and they were for her!  I found a great recipe for baked pumpkin donuts coated in cinnamon sugar and I got to work! 

Mini Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar (adapted from Blue Eyed Bakers)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp (heaping) cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp cloves

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup milk

For the Coating:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a mini donut pan. This recipe makes about 36 mini donuts.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and cloves. 

3.  In another bowl, beat the brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk.  Beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.  Fill the donut pan up to the top and bake for about 10 minutes.  Let cool.

4.  To coat the donuts, mix the sugar with the cinnamon in a bowl.  Then, dip the donuts in the melted butter and toss in the cinnamon sugar.  Continue with all the donuts.  

Enjoy :)

Baby Blue Baked Chocolate Donuts

We are currently in our last week of classes here at the UW.  I can't believe this because it is my last week of classes EVER!  Woah! When did that happen?  I have one Educational Psychology class and one Methods class left in my undergraduate career. Then, I have to turn in a couple papers and I am done! Well, I'm done with university classes.  I still get to keep teaching middle school part-time until the end of their second quarter and then it's off to high school for third and fourth quarter! 

With the semester winding down and the holidays coming up, it's time for lots of baked goods! I have THREE secret snowflakes to make adorable treats for and then I am also bringing in something for our Holiday Breakfast at school.  Besides that, it's also time to get creative with little gifts! I can't wait.  

My friend Tamara and I made these adorable mini donuts for her cooperating teacher!  He and his wife are having a baby boy and Tamara wanted to give him something to celebrate his last day of school before the baby came!  These adorable donuts are perfect!  We made mini baked chocolate donuts and then a blue glaze to go on top.  They were super tasty too (I had to try one before she took the rest!).  

Baked Chocolate Donuts with Baby Blue Glaze (adapted from Buns in My Oven)

Ingredients: 
1 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For the Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp skim milk
3 drops blue food coloring

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 and lightly grease a mini donut pan.
2. Place the white vinegar in the bottom of a liquid measuring cup.  Fill the measuring cup with the skim milk up to the 1/2 cup line.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  This will make buttermilk!
3.  In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt together.
4.  In a large bowl, beat the egg, vanilla, butter, and milk mixture.  Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.  Fill the donut pan up to the top and bake for about 10 minutes.  Let cool.
5.  Make the glaze: Mix the milk and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy.  Mix in the food coloring until you have the desired color.  Drizzle over the donuts!

Enjoy :)

Peppermint Brownies

Yet another week in Middle School has gone by and I can't belive that we are only 2 weeks away from winter break! This week, we started Looking for Pythagoras.  I think it is pretty cool how students are led to discover the Pythagorean Theorem and I think that this is going to be a really great unit to teach.

In other news, I just found out that my original Student Teaching placement for the Spring is not going to work as the teacher I was going to work with has recently decided to accept another job.  This is very exciting for him, but I had a little bit of a panic attack.  However, the school of education found another placement for me and it looks like all will be well.  I am going to be at a different school teaching geometry, algebra 2, and pre-calculus.  This sounds super awesome and I am crazy excited.  I am meeting with my new cooperating teacher next week and I can't wait to check out the new school!

This week was also exciting because I made Peppermint Brownies for the DTS study night.  Then, I had so many leftovers that I brought them in for a little teacher treat at school.  I love sharing these things with the people I care about and it was so exciting seeing how happy everyone was after having these guys.  This past summer, I tested a bunch of brownie recipes and came up with the best one: Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies.  Then, I just adapted this recipe after being inspired by the Galley Gourmet.  You have to make these! They are a great holiday treat!

Peppermint Brownies

Ingredients:
For the Brownie Layer:
10 tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz. unsweetened bakers chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp peppermint extract
pinch of salt
1 cup flour
10 oz dark and mint chocolate chips
For the Peppermint Frosting Layer:
8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp skim milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
For the Topping:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
crushed candy canes

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with foil.  Lightly grease the foil.
2. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the bakers chocolate with the butter.  Stir frequently until smooth and then stir in the sugar until well combined.  Stir in the eggs until well combined.  Next, stir in the espresso powder, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt.  Mix in the flour until just combined.
3. Pour the brownie batter into your prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely
4.  Make the frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract until well combined and fluffy.  Spread over the cooled brownies.
5.  To make the topping, melt the butter and the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Repeat until mixture is melted and smooth.  Spread over the frosting layer and then sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top.  Place the brownies in the fridge to set. Once set, cut into squares and serve!

Enjoy :)

Foodie Friends Friday: Christmas Ornaments

This week, Foodie Friends Friday is all about Christmas!  You can win some amazing Christmas ornaments from KC Ornaments.  Just follow the rules and link up your recipes!  This week I am linking up my super fun Gingerbread House, amazing Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce, and Maple Pumpkin Souffles!

Last week Foodie Friends Friday was sponsored by Honey Locust Hills and here were the winners:

And here are the winner's from last week's party!

Most Votes:

1. Kissed Gingerbread Cookies

2. Salted Caramel White Chocolate Cheesecake

3. Egg Nog Cupcakes

Most Clicked:

1. Kissed Gingerbread Cookies

2. Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bites

3. Egg Nog Cupcakes

Enter below and you might be a lucky winner of some Christmas Ornaments!!

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsview.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

Jutta at HungryLittleGirl http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Kelly at http://www.adornedwell.blogspot.com/

Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings: : http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com 

Joanne at Winelady Cooks: http://www.wineladycooks.blogspot.com

Marlene at Nosh My Way: http://www.noshmyway.com

Ericka at http://www.chefpickykid.com

Kiera at http://www.lusciousdelights.blogspot.com.au

a Rafflecopter giveaway