A busy september...

Brooke with her sissies...all getting so big!

Brooke & I going on our mommy date to the Pink House

Lauren & Lily at 3 months!

Things are BUSY around here this month! Brooke turned TWO and the twins hit the THREE month mark! I just can't believe how fast time is flying by. Through all the craziness...I try to take time everyday to enjoy all of my girls. It is my favorite time of year....HAPPY FALL! Today is the first day of fall...even though i have had the Autumn candles out and have been baking with pumpkin for a month. I have a pumpkin obsession.

New Blog!

I have decided to create a new blog to share all my favorite recipes! Four Girls & A Daddy will still exist..but only to update our family news. Please check out www.thishungrymamabakes.blogspot.com for some of my favorite recipes!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marbled Banana Bread

I HAD to post this recipe for Banana Bread. It is SUPER yummy! I baked this recipe in 3 mini loaf pans to give as gifts. Of course, I kept one for myself...and ate half of it. It was worth every calorie! Enjoy!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Marbled Banana Bread

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon bakind powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup semi or dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup peanut butter chips
2 medium bananas, mashed
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk in chocolate and peanut butter chips until combined. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together banana and peanut butter until creamy, about 1 minute; beat in granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until well combined - about 2 minutes.

Divide half of the batter into medium bowl; sift in cocoa powder, and beat until combined. Alternate spoonfuls of banana batter and chocolate batter into the pan. When all the batter is in the pan, swirl a knife sparingly through the batters to marble them. Sprinkle with additional chocolate and peanut butter chips, if desired.

Bake for 60-65 (or about 45 if cooking mini loafs) minutes or until bread pulls away from pan, is well risen, deep golden brown, and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; run a knife around outer edges and invert onto wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Makes 6-8 servings

A Recipe to Welcome FALL!

A few of my favorite things about fall...PUMPKIN, PUMPKIN, and Yankee Candles. I just love pumpkin...and I finally had a great reason to bake these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins topped with cinnamon streusel. Thankfully, they are to give to a friend as a gift....otherwise I would eat every single muffin. Lucky for me...I had a little bit of leftover pumpkin that I mixed with frozen yogurt and pumpkin pie spice. I think I might be obsessed.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Yield: 24 muffins

Ingredients:
For the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup and 1 tsp. flour
4 tbsp. butter, cubed
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well halfway with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice in each muffin well. Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups, on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

My sweet little girl turned TWO!

Two years ago, we met our sweet little Brooke. She has been such a joy in our lives. We thank God daily for the blessings He has given us by giving us our sweet girls. We are praying that she grows up to know Him, and that she lives a life to serve Him. We can't wait to see what plans He has for her. She is special to Him, and special to us!