Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

• I'm not sure if "muffin" is the right thing to call these buggers.... they're something of a cross between a cupcake and a brownie, in my opinion. But muffins they are! 
• These decadent muffins were dreamed up last night after craving a double chocolate muffin from Muffin Break. I won't claim that they're as good as MB, but they are almost, and that's enough for me since I made it from stuff I had on hand in the cupboard! Inspired by 3 different recipes I found online, as I was quite surprised no one had come up with a copy cat version for the Muffin Break gem. These were more dense and less fluffy, and went perfectly with our home made (instant) flat whites as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 100 grams butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl. 
2. Melt butter over low heat. 
3. Combine egg, milk, sour cream and vanilla; then add the melted butter and mix well. 
4. Add the flour mixture and mix until batter is smooth. 
5. Add chocolate chips. 
6. Scoop 1/4 cup batter into greased muffin tin and bake fan forced at 200 C (about 400F) for 10-12 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Indulge!

edited to add: I'm linking up with Sweet as Sugar Cookies "Sweets for a Saturday" linky party. Click the button for more sweet treat ideas!

Practically Perfect Pancakes

Practically Perfect Pancakes

We love pancakes in this house. My little guy eats hotcakes like they're going out of style, so I generally make a double batch and refrigerate the extras for weekday breakfasts. When I first made these, my husband said they were better than (or as good as) Strawn's Eat Shop which is a huge compliment. Strawn's pancakes are Louisiana famous... they're big, they're fluffy, they're sweet and salty, they're about the best pancakes we'd had, up until this recipe. Hands down, these are the best fluffy pancakes ever made in our home. Serve with a side of bacon and pig out! :D

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups white flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar (brown is essential to making them "perfect")
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 teaspoons baking powder (yes, 6 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

 In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs (by hand) for about a minute. Then add milk and oil and beat for another minute until smooth. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well, and add to the egg mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix until a smooth but slightly lumpy batter forms. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto a greased skillet over medium high heat. Cook until cake begins to bubble, then flip and cook for another 45 seconds or so. Stacking the cakes as you go keeps them warm until it's time to eat. Enjoy!

Summer Vegetable Spaghetti

Summer Vegetable Spaghetti


This pasta was inspired by the contents of my refrigerator and a jar of pasta sauce at the grocery store! Jarred pasta sauce has long been a staple in my cabinet as it was so inexpensive at Target in the US. Here, the same jar costs almost three times as much! One brand has a "summer vegetable" sauce and we tried it recently and really enjoyed the extra veggies. I just couldn't justify spending so much on what used to be one of our cheap meals, so I decided to use what I already had and I came up with this. You can also add any other fresh vegetables you have around, the possibilities are endless!

Ingredients:

2 courgettes (zucchini's), peeled if desired & chopped
2 whole tomatoes, chopped
1 small eggplant, chopped
1 red capsicum (bell pepper), chopped
6 mushrooms, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon basil
8 oz spaghetti noodles, cooked

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, onions and bell peppers. Saute until the onion is translucent. (Prepare spaghetti noodles according to package directions.) Add the rest of your veggies, as well as the tomato paste, vinegar, water and spices. Mix well and cook until the zucchini is tender. Mix with spaghetti noodles and serve!

7 Day Menu Plan

March 8-14 2011 Meal Plan (corresponds with this shopping trip)

Breakfast Options:
we always have some sort of coffee in the morning.

1. Egg in a Hole's 
2. Veggie Omelettes
3. Oatmeal with fruit and nuts
4. Pancakes (James' favorite)
5. Crepes

Lunch Options:

1. Quesadillas
2. Tuna Melts
3. Veggie Sandwiches
4. BLAT's
5. Leftovers from Dinner

Snack Options:

1. Fresh Fruit
2. Yogurt
3. Pretzels/Rice Cakes
4. Cereal Bars
5. Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins 

Dinner Options:

1. Stuffed Pasta & Caesar Salad
2. Roasted Lamb & Roots
3. Stir Fry with Sweet&Sour Sauce
4. Vegetable Tian 
5. Summer Vegetable Spaghetti
6. Baked Potatoes & Salad
7. Veggie Sushi 

Dessert Options:

1. Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Beverage Options:

1. Water
2. 100% Berry Juice
3. Speight's

March 8, 2011

This trip was supposed to include 5 days of meal planning, but I couldn't find ingredients for one of my meals (Baked Ziti), so I was a little overwhelmed to see such a high bill for so few meals. With that said, we are celebrating my husband's 28th birthday tomorrow, and are splurging with the NZ lamb for dinner! Breakfast will be apricot filled crepes, lunch will be BLT's (bacon is a treat at $10 for a small pkg, but it is humane and natural which is so worth it), and dessert will be German chocolate cupcakes! If the weather is nice, we might head to the beach, but a trip to the Warehouse is in order because we are still without a dining room table- and many other "essentials" for that matter!
By the way... it is going to take some getting used to celebrating birthdays and other occasions a day early here... technically my husband was born tomorrow (in the US), though here, his birthday was today (the 8th). Unsure of how to solve this predicament, we have decided to celebrate both days, or one or the other depending on circumstances! Anyways, on to another grocery trip! Hopefully I will get back to only shopping once a week again soon, otherwise, March is going to attack our bank account like a lion, not a lamb.

New World (Fendalton)

Sandwich Rolls-6pk: 3.25

Wheat Toast Bread: 2.49
Napkins(100pk): 1.95
Stuffed Pasta: 5.59-1.60: 3.99
Lamb Roast: 22.37
Bacon: 10.35
Doritos: 2.00
Arrowroot: 3.05
Foil (4.5M): 1.69
Coconut: 2.45
Tuna: 2.75x2: 5.50
Vinegar (750ML): 1.89
Yeast: 3.79
Maple Syrup: 3.85
Watties *Heinz* Sweet N Sour Sauce: 2.49
Gherkins *pickles*: 2.29
Pecans (70G): 2.85x2: 5.70
Apricot Jam: 4.19
Mint Jelly: 4.09
Cocoa Powder: 6.09
Coffee: 5.99
Fresh Rosemary (10G): 3.79
Nori: 3.99
Tortillas (10pk): 3.49x2: 6.98
Croutons: 2.99
Toothpicks: 1.09
Onions (4): 3.25
Red Kumara *sweet potato*: 2.67 (4.99KG)
Eggplant: 2.35x2: 4.70
Spring Onions: .99
Red Capsicum*bell peppers*: 1.49x2: 2.98
Cucumber: 2.35
Orange Kumara *sweet potato*: 3.03 (5.95KG)
Eco/Humane Eggs (15ct): 7.65
Speights Gold (12pk): 16.99
Broccoli: 1.15
Yellow Capsicum: 2.95
Spinach: 1.99 (19.99 KG)
Avocados: .99x2: 1.98
Carrots: 3.99 (1.5KG)
Parsnips: 1.91 (4.49 KG)
Organic Pumpkin Crown: 2.59
Iceberg Lettuce: 1.99
Meadow Fresh Milk (3L): 6.49
4 USA Oranges: 1.71 (1.99 KG)
Internal Red Tomatoes: 2.49
Gala Apples: 2.52 (1.99KG)
Twix, Mars and Snickers Bar: 1.85x3: 5.55-2.56: 2.99



Total NZD: 197.30
Total USD: 146.30

Coupon Savings: 4.16
Special Savings: 17.13
Total Savings NZD: 21.29
Total Savings USD: 15.78

March 4, 2011

part one is here.

Feeling good about this trip to New World!

New World (Fendalton)


Laundry Detergent: 7.29
Bread: 3.89-.90: 2.99
Chips: 2.35
Black Olives (500G): 4.95
Veggie Spirals (500G): 1.95
Spaghetti (375G): 1.95
Iceberg Lettuce: 1.99x2: 3.98
Curious Shiraz: 12.99
White Shrooms: 3.29
Chocolate Chips: 3.29
Tartare Sauce: 3.09-.60: 2.49
Pickles: 3.79
Bananas (2.99KG): 3.65
Avocados: 4x.99each: 3.96
Old El Paso Salsa: 3.29
Mainland Butter (500G): 5.65
Blueberries Punnet: 2.99
Strawberries Punnet: 1.95x2: 3.90
Angel Tomatoes: 2.49

Total NZD: 78.26
Total USD: 57.73

Coupon Savings: 1.50
Special Savings: 5.78
Total Savings: 7.28

March 2, 2011

March 1st marks one month of living in New Zealand, and I'm ready to get the hang of grocery shopping here. We've been flailing around just going to the store on demand, especially in light of the earthquake, and we all know that is a surefire way to drain your bank account and go over budget. I also tend to end up with a lot of random and incomplete meals when I don't meal plan!

One thing I have noticed is that almost everything is different here, compared to the US. For example, there is no Target, Wal Mart, Albertsons. or any other familiar grocery store. Even most of the brands are unfamiliar. But that is a-okay! I am enjoying learning the ropes of NZ grocery stores and discovering new brands, like Griffins Toffee Pops. I could keep them in business! As far as grocery stores, so far I have discovered Pak-N-Save, Countdown and New World. New World is my favorite, and contrary to what I've read elsewhere, it seems that for the most part, their prices are rather competitive and the shopping environment and selection is a lot higher quality in comparison. 

In general, prices seem to be higher on almost everything, though it is important to note that the shelf price includes tax! It's rather nice to see the total come to the simple total, not go up by almost 9% like it did in Louisiana. 

Vegetables and fruits are dirt cheap here, for the most part and there are road side stands everywhere. Organic is known as"spray free" and it seems that a lot of the produce is grown that way, so that is nice! 

If you live in New Zealand, I'd love it if you'd share your best tricks of the trade to getting good deals! If you can recommend a certain store or stand, please share!

For accountability purposes, at least during the month of March- and as long as there are no more devastating earthquakes, I will be unloading my groceries directly onto this space in my kitchen and will take a picture of my loot, and will then share it with you here on my blog. Feel free to call me out if you notice too many toffee pops! :)

New World (Fendalton)


Meadow Fresh milk (2L): 4.65
Lemons (2@5.55KG): 1.22
Sealord Tuna: 2 cans @ 2.75each: 5.50 [coupon for .92 off tuna]: 4.58
Doritos (300 G): 4.69
Frescarini Stuffed Pasta: 5.59
Parmesan Cheese (100G): 4.75
Frozen Blueberries: 6.89
Large Tomatoes: 2.49
French Press Coffee: 7.29-1.30: 5.99
Barker Fruit Syrup: 6.75 (mix with water- makes 6 Liters)
Brown Sugar (1KG): 2.00
Instant Espresso: 7.49
Pasta Sauce: 3.99
Newman's Own Caesar Dressing: 4.69
Old El Paso Tortillas: 4.49
Bulk Pretzels: 3.96
Angel Tomatoes: 2.49
White Flour (2.5KG): 3.89

Total: 80.60 NZD (tax AKA GST is included in the advertised price)
Total: 59.43 USD 

Coupon Savings: 2.22
Special Savings: 5.41
Total Savings: 7.63