the count down is officially on. in nineteen days i will be entering a new decade of my life. 

looking back on the last three decades, i realize i am heading into uncharted territory. when i was young, i always speculated what would happen to me before thirty. i thought i would be married with four kids by thirty. ummmmmmm..... one down, four to go? 

when i discovered cooking i set the lofty goal of a restaurant by thirty. ha. 

but nowhere in my adolescent fantasizing about my future did i ever contemplate what would happen to me after i turned thirty. that was an age beyond what i could comprehend. 

my first thirty years were strongly goal driven and VERY planned. i put a lot of pressure on myself to reach the goals i set out for myself. goals that i had set years prior with out any thought to who i would grow to be or how my interests would change. 

so for the next thirty, i plan to spend my time working at things i love and quickly letting go of those that i don't. 

baking is one of those things that i'm learning to love. when i first started, i found the precision and patience baking requires daunting. however, the hurry up and wait aspect of baking is the perfect method for me as i'm running around the house doing a million different things. all i have to do is set it and forget it until the timer goes off. 

i've been working on a light but moist muffin that i can grab as i'm running out the door and these did not disappoint.

black and blue muffins
serves: 12 muffins
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 20-25 min
total time: 35 min

1.75 cups whole wheat flour. 1 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. .25 tsp baking soda. .5 c packed brown sugar. .5 c butter. 2 eggs. .25 c olive oil. .5 c cottage cheese. 1 tsp orange zest. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .5 c halved blackberries. .5 c blueberries. oats and extra brown sugar optional. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. 

whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand blender, cream together the butter and brown sugar. 

with the mixer on slow, crack in the eggs one at a time. 

in succession, add in the oil, cottage cheese, extract and zest. 

when the wet ingredients are combined, slowly add in the dry ingredients just until everything is combined.

turn off the mixer and fold in the berries. 

pour the batter into a prepared muffin tin. sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats. 

bake for 20-24 minutes. until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown. 

xoxo
a

black and blue muffins
serves: 12 muffins
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 20-25 min
total time: 35 min

1.75 cups whole wheat flour. 1 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. .25 tsp baking soda. .5 c packed brown sugar. .5 c butter. .25 c olive oil. .5 c cottage cheese. 1 tsp orange zest. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .5 c halved blackberries. .5 c blueberries. oats and extra brown sugar optional. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. 

whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or with a hand blender, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
with the mixer on slow, crack in the eggs one at a time.
in succession, add in the oil, cottage cheese, extract and zest.
when the wet ingredients are combined, slowly add in the dry ingredients just until everything is combined.
turn off the mixer and fold in the berries.
pour the batter into a prepared muffin tin. sprinkle the tops with a little brown sugar and some oats.
bake for 20-24 minutes. until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown. 

chicken marsala

serving size: 4 dinner serving

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: 25 minutes

total time: 35 minutes

1.5 lbs thin chicken breasts or tenders. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 4 oz prosciutto, chopped. 6-8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced. 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped. .5 cup marsala wine. .25 cup chopped flat leaf parsley. 1 tbs cold butter. 1 tsp salt. .5 tsp pepper.

in a large, heavy pan heat 1 tbs oil over medium heat until hot. add in the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally until crispy. 7 to 10 minutes. 

remove the crisped prosciutto to a paper towel and set it aside. 

add two more tbs olive oil to the pan and get it nice and hot. season the chicken with half the salt and pepper. 

when the oil is hot, cook the chicken till browned on both sides only flipping it once. about 3 to 5 minutes a side depending on the size of the chicken.

 do not overcrowd the pan. you will likely need to cook your chicken in batches. after half your chicken has been cooked, add the remaining olive oil and cook the rest. place the cooked chicken in a dish and cover with aluminum foil.

while the chicken is resting, add the mushrooms to the pan with all the left over bits of prosciutto and chicken. cook the mushrooms over medium heat until they soften and sweat. 

add in the garlic and the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. 

pour in the marsala and allow it too come to a simmer. once the alcohol has burnt off, reduce the heat and add back in the chicken and prosciutto. 

when the chicken is nice and hot, turn off the heat. stir in the parsley and butter till the butter is melted and combined. serve hot. 

xoxo
a

chicken marsala
serving size: 4 dinner serving
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 25 minutes
total time: 35 minutes
1.5 lbs thin chicken breasts or tenders. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 4 oz prosciutto, chopped. 6-8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced. 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped. .5 cup marsala wine. .25 cup chopped flat leaf parsley. 1 tbs cold butter. 1 tsp salt. .5 tsp pepper.
in a large, heavy pan heat 1 tbs oil over medium heat until hot. add in the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally until crispy. 7 to 10 minutes.
remove the crisped prosciutto to a paper towel and set it aside. add two more tbs olive oil to the pan and get it nice and hot. season the chicken with half the salt and pepper.
when the oil is hot, cook the chicken till browned on both sides only flipping it once. about 3 to 5 minutes a side depending on the size of the chicken. do not overcrowd the pan. you will likely need to cook your chicken in batches. after half your chicken has been cooked, add the remaining olive oil and cook the rest. place the cooked chicken in a dish and cover with aluminum foil.
while the chicken is resting, add the mushrooms to the pan with all the left over bits of prosciutto and chicken. cook the mushrooms over medium heat until they soften and sweat.
add in the garlic and the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
pour in the marsala and allow it too come to a simmer. once the alcohol has burnt off, reduce the heat and add back in the chicken and prosciutto.
when the chicken is nice and hot, turn off the heat. stir in the parsley and butter till the butter is melted and combined.
serve hot.