My own brand of crazy

I was talking to another mom today who is making her children's Halloween costumes. Now, this woman is not normally someone who enjoys sewing, but she does it on Halloween for her kids. She's been at this AT LEAST a week! My opinion (unwarranted of course) - go to Target, the costumes are $19.99-$29.99! Alas, she keeps toiling at it.


This is the same mom who call me an over-achiever when I cook. She cooks for her family every night - but it's simple stuff like pre-marinated meats, tried and trues, etc... The fact that I will make a whole chicken astounds her (no matter that it's one of the easiest things to make). Her opinion (unwarranted of course) - you can buy a whole rotisserie chicken for $5.99! Alas, I keep cooking.


Tonight is a good example of both of us. Shes at home working away at her costumes and making labels for candy bars for a friend for a party.


I picked up my kids from dance, took them to the pumpkin patch before it's too late (in which case I'm sure I would have been told that I "LIED" by promising to take them to a pumpkin patch), drove them home, did homework with my 1st grader, put them to bed, realized my tire was flat (had been showing "low tire pressure" all darn day!), went to the gas station 5 blocks from my house, put air in my tire (1st time ever - yeah me!), went to the gym (trying to drop back those pesky pounds that have crept over the last 2.5 months) and came home.

So - it's 10:30pm and what do I do???? Any guesses?? Well - it's my own brand of crazy.

I BAKED ! Now I am NOT A BAKER but any stretch of the imagination - I substitute way too much. And I'm way too lazy to be precise, to roll out, etc... Of course, because I love gadgets I have an amazing rolling pin that's no-stick but I have never used it.

Regardless, I saw a great recipe on the Cooking Light Bulletin Boards, which I read religiously every day, and decided to go for it. And yes, I did tweak for the ingredients I had on hand. Can Chocolate muffins really ever be bad? We'll see what my co-workers think!

Low-Fat Chocolate Muffins
From May/June 2002 Quick Cooking
(originally posted by Kismet, topping posted by colleency)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa (I used Penzey's Dutch Cocoa)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt (in 2nd batch, used raspberry kefir instead since it's all I had left)
2/3 cup fat-free milk (used 1%) (in 1st batch, where I used yogurt, I added 1/4 cup more milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
mini chocolate chips (added a handful to the 2nd batch with the wet ingredients)

Peanut Butter Crunch Topping (500 Best Muffin Recipes):
3 Tbsp peanut butter
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Stir in yogurt, milk and vanilla just until moistened. Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; fill two-thirds full.

Sprinkle with topping (one batch of topping lasted for 2 dozen muffins).

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Yield: 1 dozen