Lovin' From the Oven

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

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Looking at these muffins, I’m utterly craving one again. They’re that good. Just look at the name description! You can’t title something “to die for” if it’s just mediocre. They’ve got to knock your socks off, wipe you off your feet, and make you speechless at the same time.

Have I convinced you to make these blueberry muffins yet?

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No? Okay, I’ll keep going.

Look at the rise on these muffin tops! The golden color around the rim! The bright blueberry color ever so slightly bleeding through the muffin liner!

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The crumb topping. You guys, THE CRUMB TOPPING.

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Great– now my stomach’s growling. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

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I’ve recently discovered the magic of YouTube workout videos. It’s so much easier to maintain a workout schedule when you can do it anywhere at your convenience. Plus, there are thousands to choose from. Don’t like a certain trainer? Change it.

I’ve been partial to PopSugarTVFit and BeFit. It may not be much, but it’s certainly enough for me to feel it in my glutes. My DB does Insanity and at first, I thought I’d give it a go before I tried anything else.

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It was bad news bears within the first five minutes. I only lasted seven minutes into the warm up before I was lying on the floor with the wind knocked out of me. How in the world do people do Insanity? It’s not only impossible but definitely unsafe… Well, for people that haven’t worked out in ten years, anyways.

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I think I’ll stick to my kitchen workouts. Lifting 25 pound bags of flour and sugar is my kind of workout. These blueberry muffins are from AllRecipes.

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To Die For Blueberry Muffins

Yield: 8 large muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
    • For the topping:
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line muffins tin with liners.
  2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder.
  3. Place vegetable oil and applesauce into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture.
  4. Fold in blueberries.
  5. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
  6. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.
https://lovintheoven.com/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/

Ground Turkey and Bean Burritos

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This past week has been CRA-ZY at work. I say that because there are people at the airport 24:7, flights are leaving 12 hours later than scheduled, and crew members are taking naps everywhere they can to make up for their extended duty days.

You see, I’m SFO based and the Asiana flight that crash landed on Saturday affected everyone flying for the next couple of days into and out of San Francisco.

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I worked Saturday, going from SFO-IAD and was about an hour or two into the flight when a passenger asked me if I knew anything about the crash. Confused, I asked him what he was talking about. He showed me the news reporting on CNN and my heart sank. At first, I didn’t know if it was my airline and I immediately jumped to the worst conclusion that came to mind.

Was it us? Who was working? How many people were injured? How many people survived? What happened to the airplane? Was it an airplane malfunction? Do they have the situation under control? Is the fire still spreading?

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Nothing really prepares you for what you see on TV when it hits so close to home. I had just left that airport two hours ago. What would have happened if I didn’t take off at that time? We called the pilots to let them know that something happened at SFO and they had no idea, either.

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Our passengers updated us with more information as it was being released on TV. They didn’t know the deaths.. it was an Asiana flight.. the fuselage burst into flames.. the tail fell off… they stopped all traffic into and out of SFO.. It was like trying to put a 500 piece puzzle together with only 10 pieces.

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When we heard that only two people passed away from the accident and seeing all the footage of the aircraft, I couldn’t believe my ears. The crew aboard flight 241 did an amazing job getting everyone off the aircraft with minimal casualties. Not only that, but they didn’t even have time to prepare for a landing like that.

Sometimes in situations like that, they’ll have time onboard to prep for an emergency landing. In this, everything happened when they least expected it. Obviously, take off and landing are the most dangerous times in flying, but you never think that it’s going to happen to you.

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My heart goes out to everyone involved in that crash.

I was delayed in Dulles for 12 hours on my trip, but that’s nothing when you compare it to the grand scheme of things. For passengers complaining about delays this past weekend, just be grateful that you have your life.

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When we flew back Sunday night, I could see the aftermath of the aircraft on descent just out the window. I stared in disbelief.

I mean, we watch multiple videos in training of crashes, but it’s just ten times more surreal when you see it a couple hundred yards away.

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Remember that flight attendants are more than servers. They’re not there to satisfy every single one of your flying needs. We’re primarily there for your safety. Be nice to your crew. They could be the ones saving your life!

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As always, this burrito from The Pioneer Woman is as delicious as the rest of her recipes. They’re easily customizable for picky eaters and fast to whip up. Everyone should have a burrito night once a week! The second to last picture is a photo of my DB’s burrito and the last picture is my burrito. Can you tell the difference?

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Ground Turkey and Bean Burritos

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Ground Turkey
  • 1/2 whole Medium Onion, chopped
  • 1 can (7 Ounce) Enchilada Sauce
  • Salt And Pepper, to taste
  • Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Garlic To Taste
  • 1 can (28 Ounce) Refried Beans
  • 3/4 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
  • 12 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas
  • Extra Grated Cheese, For Sprinkling
  • Extra Sauce, For Drizzling
  • Cilantro Leaves, Optional
  • Optional Filling Ingredients: Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Green Chilies, Pico De Gallo

Directions

  1. Brown ground turkey with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat.
  2. Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm.
  3. Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute. Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Serve immediately.
https://lovintheoven.com/ground-turkey-and-bean-burritos/

 

Bacon Avocado Pasta

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Let’s be real here. I eat A LOT of pasta… probably not as much as I would if I wasn’t dating my DB. If it were up to me, I’d make pasta for dinner every night. My DB, on the other hand, always vetoes my decision for pasta making because it isn’t exactly the healthiest dish. There are too many carbs and not enough working out.

As much as I’m ashamed to say it, we don’t really workout. Like… at all. A workout for me means chasing kids around the house and walking around the airport in heels. As for my DB, he does Insanity workouts every once in a blue moon. We really need to change that.

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Sometimes, I’ll make pasta just for myself, justifying the carbs by adding avocados and other assorted vegetables. Whenever I do that, my DB won’t go anywhere near it so it’s all for me. It’s one of my secret tactics so I get the pasta all to myself. *insert maniacal laugh here*

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This is the perfect summer salad since it isn’t served piping hot. The avocado and tomatoes provide that “cooling” effect which makes it a great dish to be served alongside your BBQ.

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A new 4th of July dish for tomorrow, maybe? I’m sure your guests would appreciate it!

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Be safe on this four day weekend! Even if you aren’t lucky enough to have a 4 day weekend (I’m included in that category), at least enjoy tomorrow outside!

This dish could easily be doubled or even tripled to accommodate your party.

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Bacon Avocado Pasta

Ingredients

  • 8 oz penne pasta
  • 2 avocados, chopped
  • 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 slices cooked thick cut bacon, crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp italian seasoning
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • pinch of garlic salt
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box, until al dente.
  2. Once cooked, strain the pasta and place it in a large bowl.
  3. Toss the pasta with the remaining ingredients, until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately.
  4. I saved some parmesan cheese and threw it on top after plating, but you can toss it in as well.
https://lovintheoven.com/bacon-avocado-pasta/

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