The Perfect Fix: Blueberry Strawberry Muffins

Nicky8 Comments

I guess everyone has the thing he/she does when they’re blue.  I either bake or craft.  I’m due for some time off of work but in the meantime, I’ll deal with the stress in a productive way.  Hence, the baking today. 😀

The book this recipe is adapted from is Easy Breakfast & Brunch.  I got it at Marshalls a couple of years ago (for $2.99) but never really went through it.   A newish cookbook + being bored with current breakfast choices + a self-imposed “mental health break” from work today = make something!  😀

As usual, I didn’t follow the recipe as is.  In trying to keep the glycemic index down, I substituted some of the ingredients to make it more healthy.   In less than an hour, I had the perfect little muffin (loaves) that can be eaten right away or frozen for up to a month.

Let me know if you try the recipe!  I love the fact that fruit and not mostly sugar sweetens this muffin.  The result is a muffin that isn’t overly sweet — perfect for anyone who’s trying to eat healthier.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup white flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (substituted for white)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup of raw brown sugar (substituted for superfine white sugar)
  • 1 medium egg (substituted for 1 large)
  • 1 1/4 cup milk (buttermilk used to make muffins more moist since wheat flour was used)
  • 1 capful vegetable oil (substituted for 1/4 cup)
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup puree strawberries (not called for in original recipe)

Instructions:

  • Sift flour and baking powder, then add sugar.
  • Mix all wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
  • Stir wet mixture into dry ingredients — stir just enough to make a coarse lumpy mixture.  Do not over-mix!
  • Fold blueberries and strawberries in the batter using only a few strokes.  Over-mixing makes the muffins dry and tough.
  • Spoon the mixture into greased muffin pan, filling each up about 2/3 full.  Bake in a preheated oven (375 degrees) for 30 mins. or until golden and firm to the touch. 
  • Let muffin tin cool for 1 min then turn out onto a wire rack.  Eat warm.

Muffins should be eaten within 24 hours or left to cool then frozen for up to 1 month!

Cheers to breakfast!!!  All that delicious strawberry, blueberry gooey yumminess!

Look Ma — Lace!

Nicky9 Comments

It’s not like I’ve never done lace before; about two months after I learned to knit, I did my first “Feather and Fan” sample.  I was pretty proud of that sample especially when my knitting guru commented that she’d never been able to keep the patterning right even after years of knitting.  Go me!  I didn’t finish that scarf, I just kept the sample as something I’d done then moved on.

Fast forward about 18 months later.  I was involved in a swap that required a handmade gift.  I was sending my giftee 2 books and thought a bookmark could be a quick, easy gift.  I searched patterns and the best looking ones in my opinion were all lace.   The one I loved the most was not only lace, but it was all charted (no written instructions).  Err … whatchutalkinbout Willis?  I’ve only ever knitted using written instructions.  😯   Added to that, even if you’ve never done lace, every knitter knows that the beauty of lace is in the blocking.  Post blocking the patterns really shine, but errr … I’d never blocked anything before.  But hey … I’m crazy like that, so I decided on the yarn then it was all guns blazing.

Since I started knitting, I’ve gotten frustrated at times but NEVER have I swore at a project and tossed it across the room.  I heard that lace could reduce Mother Theresa to a crying mess, but I didn’t think that that comment related to small projects.  How could that be?!  Well, I found out!  I started that project over 7 times.  It seemed that the more I knit it, the less I was able to count!  Really?!!!  Get outta here!!!!  I didn’t do like other knitters and have multiple cussing episodes.  I just stopped, swore, had some fruit, cooled off, then came back to it.  Like an arrogant so and so, I was trying to do it without using lace help — aka lifelines, stitch-markers or my trusty pattern holder.  Nut!!!  How arrogant was I?  🙄

I whipped out my pattern holder and used the magnets to block out the lines above and below the one I was working on.  Eureka!!!  After cooling off then doing that, I was able to knit through the first section.  Break.  Knit the second section.  Shorter break.  Then the third section, make the tassel, block the project, wait two days for drying, add the tassel, admire the little beast, ship said beast to recipient then wait for the reviews.  I opted not to starch it but the recipient can if she wants to.  Reviews: she loved it!!!!!!  😀

Just to prove that I’m not making this up, here’s the little bugger in all its lacey glory. 

Look Ma — lace!!!!!

Project Details

  • Name: Leaf Me Alone — I’m Reading (Lace Bookmark)
  • Pattern Designer: Leigh Myers
  • Pattern Modifications: None technically, except I knit the project on the wrong sized needles (5 instead of 3) so it came out longer than the designer’s sample.  Next time, I’ll do it my way but only do one repeat then the ending chart to shorten it up a bit.
  • Yarn: Knitpicks Felici (in Tyrian Purple)
  • Yardage Used: 27 yards (excluding the do-overs)
  • Number of “There’s only room for one of us in this house, yield or be broken!!!!” episodes: 1

And whatdoyouknow … even after all that, I’m getting ready to do some more lace.  A wash-cloth next time — that should be interesting!  😛

Stay tuned.  🙂