This is my favorite muffin recipe ever, from the book The Village Baker's Wife. It's pretty much foolproof and even as a long-time professional baker/pastry chef that's a real godsend, especially when I bake with M&E. You can even sub blueberries for the blackberries but I prefer it with marionberries or boysenberries, fresh picked on Sauvie Island.
Orange-Berry Muffins
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup finely grated orange zest
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional, but I love 'em!)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tbs melted butter, cooled
3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, loganberries, marionberries, boysenberries, ollalieberries, etc., coarsely chopped
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add orange zest and nuts and mix. Combine eggs, sour cream, oj, butter and add to dry ingredients, and mix gently just until incorporated. Batter will be lumpy. Fold berries into batter. Fill 18 greased or paper muffin cup-lined muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let cool a tiny bit, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Although I like these pretty warm with a huge chunk of cold butter! They freeze pretty well, if cooled all the way. E likes them for lunch snacks.
Last night was the first time Max had to take a bath over at my house since he broke his arm. Quick backstory- monkey bars, cherry drop, right radius had a severely displaced fracture while the ulna was merely greenstick. 10 hours in the hospital and one surgery later, and he's fine.
Anyhoo, he's had to switch from showers to baths since the incident, and since he's limited, I had to wash his hair for him last night. I swear it's been at least 4 years since I've done that, and I got a little choked up. He was hideously embarrased that his mom was seeing him (eek!) naked, but I think he enjoyed the extra attention. He's growing up so frickin' fast! I can't believe he's gonna be 10 in like 3 weeks. Plus, he's essentially skipped a grade this year. How proud is this momma?
*and, the nurse who took care of him at the hospital asked me if he was "always this polite"? I am happy to say that yes, he is. Something I've been saying all these years actually sunk in!! Woot!
Well, here's the basics. I'm a single mom living in the most awesome city in the Pacific Northwest (no, not Seattle) with my two (mostly) wonderful kids. I work the night shift at a wholesale bakery that I hope to buy someday soon. I've got a cat, a part-time dog, a full-time boyfriend, and many many friends, cohorts, compadres, and partners in crime. I also like to read like a fiend, crochet, cook, bake, take walks, drink beer, and watch football. Go Bears! Tune in to read about my life, get some recipes for kick ass baked goods, and maybe see some pictures. Cheers!
