Cooking with my Air Fryer | Lemon Yogurt Muffins.

After my successful experiment with apples, I decided to try another fruit with my muffins. This time, I used lemons in this recipe because you know what they say... when life gives you lemons, make muffins with it. Haha!

If you've been reading or have tried any of my muffin recipes, you might have noticed that I always use milk for baking. For this recipe, I switched to yogurt instead. Yogurt, as it turns out, makes baked goods taste better. Its tanginess adds an interesting, non-cloying taste to your muffins (or cakes, for that matter), while its creaminess helps make your baked goods soft and moist. In addition, it gives muffins a good rise as its acidity activates baking soda, which I also used in this recipe. Looks like I'll be using yogurt for baking more often from now on. 

Now enough of this chit-chat and let's move on to the recipe. :)

Lemon Yogurt Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all purpose-flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)

1/4 cup butter, melted

zest and juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup juice and 1 tablespoon zest)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Lemon Drizzle Topping:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Just some muffins cooling down and waiting to be eaten... :)

Procedure:

1.Preheat air fryer to 170° Celsius.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix in the lemon zest.

3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs together with the butter, yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla extract.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  

5. Pour the batter into paper-lined muffin cups. (This mixture yields about 12 regular-sized muffins.) 

6. Set your air fryer to Bake mode and at 170°C for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Optional: Switch to Convection Broil for 2-3 minutes if you want the muffin tops to look more brown. (Kindly make adjustments to the temperature settings if you're cooking with a conventional oven.)

8. To make the drizzle, sift the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir until the sugar has melted enough and the drizzle can be poured. 

9. When the muffins have cooled down, pour the drizzle on the muffin tops.

McDonald’s Brings Fun and Mischief with the New Minions 2 Happy Meal!

From the hit Despicable Me franchise, the world’s favorite little yellow trouble makers are back with more mischief as they arrive in the nearest McDonald’s store near you! 

The new Minions 2 Happy Meal is now out! :)

Adding in to the fun of the family’s holiday celebrations, McDonald’s introduces its newest set of collectibles with the Minions 2 Happy Meal. These much-anticipated toys will come in 15 new designs, with their quirky yellow charm making it hard for anyone to resist. But the fun doesn’t stop there— each Minion comes with a rare Golden Minion version, making this collection all the more special. To add to the excitement each Minion toy comes in a mystery ball capsule for that surprise unboxing moment, making the hunt for each design all more thrilling! 

Get a chance to find and take home the rare Golden Minion!

Every purchase of the Minions 2 Happy Meal also lets you spread the happiness to others! Through the Happy Meal Buy 1 Share 1 Program, McDonald’s matches your purchase with a book or toy to be donated to another child from partner beneficiaries in areas affected by the recent typhoons Rolly and Ulysses. The program runs until December 31 so don’t miss the chance to make someone’s holiday a bit brighter.

What are you waiting for? Happiness awaits when you take home these yellow creatures. Head on to the nearest McDonald’s store to get your Minions 2 Happy Meal via Dine-in, Take Out, or Drive Thru, or order via McDelivery starting December 18.

For more information, follow McDonald’s Philippines official Facebook at fb.com/McDo.ph, Twitter at twitter.com/McDo_PH, Instagram at instagram.com/mcdo_ph, join the McDo PH Viber Community, as well as the following link for store updates: https://www.mcdonalds.com.ph/store-locator 

 

Cooking with my Air Fryer | Apple Cinnamon Muffins.

Apples are pretty much a staple in our home. Apples are Yue's most favorite fruit, and he makes sure to eat them everyday because as the saying goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." 

Today, I decided to experiment with apples in the kitchen, after seeing that we have way too much of them in the crisper. It seems that the fruit delivery guy handed us a few extra pieces when he delivered apples the other day. Either that, or the price of his apples have decreased, because I usually hand him a hundred peso bill and get six apples in return. I have like, a dozen apples inside the fridge and I don't even know why, haha.

Anyway, this is my first time to add fruit into my muffins, and I'm so happy with the results! The muffins that I made were super moist, and they smelled divine. The kitchen smelled like Christmas as soon as I opened my air fryer to take out the muffins! Even Yue was impressed! :)

And with that, I give you my Apple Cinnamon Muffin recipe.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon white vinegar

2 cups apple pieces, peeled and chopped into small cubes

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Apples and cinnamon make a great combination!

Procedure:

1. Preheat air fryer to 170° Celsius.

2. In a large bowl, mix the butter and brown sugar until well-combined. 

3. Stir in the egg, milk, and vinegar until incorporated.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon powder, and salt until well-blended.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!

6. Lightly fold in the apples and walnuts to the mixture.

7. Pour the batter into paper-lined muffin cups.

8. Set your air fryer to Bake mode and at 170°C for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Optional: Switch to Convection Broil for 3 to 5 minutes if you want the muffin tops to look more brown. (Kindly make adjustments to the temperature settings if you're cooking with a conventional oven.) 

Holiday Gift Ideas.

Accomplishing your shopping list for all your loved ones is no mean feat. There is undoubtedly such a thing as shopping until you drop when the holidays come around. If you have hit the point where you are out of ideas and motivation, the time has come for some inspiration. Here are a few gifts that may be great options for you.

Jewelry

Descendants of the Sun, 2016.

You can't go wrong with the gift of jewelry. While it may seem like a go-to for many people, you can make your choice more individualized by matching the style of whoever you are shopping for— even better if you can remember them saying they had an item in mind. There are tons of online jewelry boutiques that will make it easy to find the perfect piece for your special someone. There's the option to customize even further by including a personalized jewelry tray for cute and functional storage.

Experience

BTS on stage, Map of the Soul 7.

Buying your loved one an unforgettable experience is a top-notch present. Whether you get tickets to the concert of their dreams or make plans for an amazing excursion, this idea will be a fan favorite. Shopping for experiences is a win-win for everyone because not only do you get to see a massive smile on the face of someone you love, but you also get to tag along with them, right? If you have someone in your life who isn't interested in any tangible gifts, you can still show you care about them by making fantastic memories together. 

Electronics

The Playstation 5 is finally out in the market!

There is no denying that technology has taken over the world. There is an electronic device out there for everyone to enjoy— no matter your age or interests. With such a wide variety to choose from, it may help to look up reviews online to find the alternative with the most recommendations. The following items are a good spread of options for this year's gift-giving season:

• iPhone 12
• Security system
• Xbox or Playstation
• Roku

The good news is, you now have all your shopping completed. The bad news is, the standard of presents has been set sky-high, and you might have found yourself down a rabbit hole of impressive gifts. All the same, there is no feeling like the one you get when you see your family and friends enjoy the new necklace or Ring doorbell you got them. So long are the days of walking around Target aimlessly looking for the perfect gift.