muffin

Frosted Chocolate Spice Muffins

December 16, 2012 | 8 Comments

Ah, chocolate. You really are a celebrity at this time of year, aren’t you? No need to be humble, you know it’s true.

Something just feels right about enjoying chocolate when there’s a chill in the air.
Something just feels right about enjoying chocolate when you’re surrounded by friends and family with whom you can share.
Something just feels right about enjoying chocolate when you can simply promise to work it off in the New Year.

I especially like chocolate when it’s flavoring a delectable bread or cake, which should then be topped with some sort of creamy frosting, preferably also favored with chocolate.

So, you know, these Chocolate Spice Muffins are pretty much made for me. What a coincidence!

Filed Under: Quick Breads Tagged With: ancho chile, canela, cinnamon, cocoa, frosting, Hershey's, muffin, recipe, sweet, vegetable oil

Blackberry Crumble Muffins

July 19, 2012 | 27 Comments

It’s a little chilly here today…

So let’s build a fire in the fireplace.

We can cuddle up under a down blanket, I’ll make some Mexican Hot Chocolate and Buttermilk Blackberry Crumble Muffins, and we can braid each other’s hair and watch reality TV as the evening draws nigh.

Oh, OK. You’d like to pass on the fire in the fireplace? Also on the down blanket, the hot chocolate, the hair braiding, and the talking like we’re from Middle Earth?

But you don’t want to pass on the Buttermilk Blackberry Crumble Muffins, right?

Fantastic! I knew we were friends.

Filed Under: Quick Breads Tagged With: blackberry, butter, buttermilk, crumble topping, flour, Maria cookies, muffin, recipe, sugar, sweet

Mango Lassi Crunch Muffins

May 22, 2012 | 24 Comments

I wish I liked coffee. I really do.

I have this idea that if I liked coffee I’d be more sophisticated. Just a little more glamorous.

If I liked coffee I probably wouldn’t have such a potty mouth. I’d be fresh like driven snow!

If I liked coffee I probably wouldn’t be sitting here in yoga pants and an old Brew Thru tee shirt. I’d be wearing culottes and a jaunty scarf around my neck!

I just think that if I could get behind a morning cup of java, I’d be the best version of myself.

But, alas, I can’t stand the stuff. And I’ve tried!

Instead I prefer to attend business meeting with a 153 oz. fountain soda in hand. Arrive at family functions with a 2 liter tucked in my pocket. Wear my soda love on my sleeve.

What can I say?

Intellectually I know that it’s undignified to slurp out of a bottle or can in polite company, but soda has remained a hold-over comfort from my schooling days and I refuse to give it up.

And now my daily diet soda has taken the place of my childhood security blanket. I feel unprepared without it. Naked until it’s in hand. Mentally verklempt until I’ve started my journey to the bottom of the koozie-protected can (Yes, it’s a Brew Thru koozie and yes, I’m officially a hot mess.).

Filed Under: Quick Breads Tagged With: crunch, flour, fruit, mango lassi, Maria cookie, muffin, pecan, recipe, Rice Krispie, sugar, sweet, vanilla, white chocolate, yogurt

Pistachio Muffins

April 4, 2012 | 39 Comments

Yesterday we talked about underrated foods, à la walnuts. Today I’m thinking about later-in-life foods. As in, stuff you just didn’t eat until you were adult-like. But now that you’re older and much, much wiser, you enjoy your new culinary discoveries all the time!

A lot of people tell me that avocados are their LIL foods. Also fava beans.

One poor soul told me that Jolly Ranchers were his LIL food. I gave him a hug and we cried together.

Pistachios are my later-in-life food. I honestly can’t remember eating them at all until I met A., who is a true pistachiophile. He taught me proper cracking technique.

I really grew to appreciate the unique flavor of pistachios, but it wasn’t until I started reading about working them into cakes, cookies, flans and even moles that I was truly hooked.

Today we’re making little, green pistachio muffins. For breakfast!

I have this idea that muffins can be quite boring, which is why I like to play with their texture when I make them.

These pistachio muffins involve the nuts two ways: ground into a pistachio ‘pesto’ and chopped whole kernels.

If you’re lucky enough to find a sack of shelled pistachios, you’re money. If not, pull up a chair, throw on a good movie, and prepare to crack your face off: we need 1 1/2 cups of pistachio kernels for these muffins.

Filed Under: Featured, Quick Breads Tagged With: buttermilk, eggs, flour, muffin, nut, pistachio, recipe, sugar, sweet, vanilla extract

Quinoa Streusel Muffins

September 8, 2011 | 47 Comments

WARNING: The following post contains images and instances of flagrant streuseling.

If you have an aversion or allergy to streusel, if you are on a streusel-restricted diet, or if your doctor has prescribed a streusel-free regime due to any type of condition such as streuselitis or a recent streuselectomy, please click away now.

Your health matters most.

For those of you who choose to continue reading, I urge you to practice safe streuseling.