I am trying to get loose ends tied up – I’ve got 1 week and 1 day off from work coming up and I’m really ready for it. Cancun, here I come! I’ve got 4 swimsuits packed and everything else is optional. Oh, and my tennis racket, too. I usually attend the tennis clinic every morning at 9am because 1. central time problems and 2. it’s not like I’m capable of sleeping in.
Before taking off, I’m having dinner with my parents, brother, best friend, and her newest addition, Graham. The cutest 2-month-old ever <3 My mom was asking what beer I wanted her to pick-up and I promptly replied that I need not a thing with 5 days of all-inclusive accommodations heading my way.
I (think) also decided not to take my work laptop on the trip. That gives me a bit of anxiety just typing out, but it’s not like I haven’t received calls from my boss while on the beach before. If they need me, they’ll know where to find me. If I’m feeling REAL crazy, I’ll delete my Outlook app. We’ll see.
On the agenda? Time in the sun, recharging my heart and mind, and returning relaxed and rejuvenated. Oh, and binge reading because I’m a dork. Oh, and TACOS. Duh.
Other than prepping my work life, I have been working to stockpile recipes for the blog. I last made baked donuts with my friend, Kelly, following the Illini game a few weeks ago. Having not had my camera with me, they never got blogged. But if you love donuts and pumpkin – definitely consider making these Pumpkin Cake Donuts. Good find, wifey!
If you’re an old fashioned donut lover like me, you’ll appreciate the lightened up take with this baked version. The girls were obsessed and that glaze on a warm donut…heavenly!
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3-4 Tbsp low-fat milk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Light mist a three 6-cavity donut pans with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the butter, oil, and sugar together until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg; whisk well to combine.
- Stir half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Add the buttermilk and mix well. Add remaining flour and mix until just combined.
- Fill donut pan wells two-thirds full. Bake for 7-9 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Dip the top of each donut into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Return to the wire cooling rack to cool 2-3 minutes dry serving.
