Mmmmmmuffins!

Last weekend, after I put my oatmeal cranberry cookies in the oven, I decided that since I already had everything out and was in a baking sort of mood, I would make some muffins. I love me some muffins. And it has been far too long since I’ve made any!

Enter the perfect cookbook for the occasion: Mad About Muffins: A Cookbook for Muffin Lovers, by Dot Vartan. I have had this cookbook forever it seems. I have numerous recipes marked, but honestly, I’m not sure I ever actually baked any of them! The cookbook has so much to offer and is broken into delectable categories, like these (to name a few):

“Everyone’s Favorites” (Basic, Blueberry, Dill, etc.)

“Garden Variety” (e.g., Butternut Squash, Vegetable Cheese, Sweet Potato)

“For Chocolate Lovers” which leave me wanting a big glass of milk just reading the recipes (e.g., Chocolate Caramel (oh boy!), Banana Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate)

“Variations on a Cake” (e.g., Apple Cheesecake, Lemon Shortbread, Four Chip)

Yum. Don’t they sound good? There is even a recipe for a Wine and Cheese muffin! Whoa. Anyway, besides being full of yummy recipes, it’s also full of cute illustrations.

I decided to make Mixed Berry muffins, using the Blueberry Muffin recipe from the book. I had a variety of frozen berries on hand- blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry- so I used those. I should also point out that I don’t use a regular muffin tin, I have these muffin bakers that look like little flower pots. I love them. I am kicking myself for not snatching up a like-new set I saw at Goodwill a while ago. The pots make larger muffins, so I always end up with fewer than the recipe indicates and I typically have to adjust the baking time.

 Blueberry (or Mixed Berry, if you prefer) Muffins

6 Tbsp softened butter

2/3 C. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 Tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tsp. baking powder

1/4 Tsp. salt

2 C. sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 C. milk

2 C. fresh or frozen blueberries (or other berries to suit your fancy)

Streusel Topping:

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 Tsp. cinnamon

1/2 C. chopped walnuts (ew, totally optional)

Heat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Add the vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Mix in half of the flour and the milk alternately, mixing gently by hand. Then add the remaining flour and milk. Stir in the blueberries. Fill greased muffin tins or foiled paper.

To make the streusel topping, cut the butter into small pieces and mix it with the brown sugar and cinnamon (and walnuts, if that’s your thing). Sprinkle the topping over the batter. Bake 25-30 minutes until muffins are lightly browned. Makes one dozen muffins…unless you’re using bigger muffin bakers, like me...then it makes 9-10 muffins.

One thing that struck me about these muffins was the thickness of the batter. I seriously thought I shorted the milk, but I know I didn’t. I made the streusel topping, but mine just didn’t work like it should have- mine ended up being like cinnamon butter, so I just put a small glob on each of the muffins. I think next time I will leave out the streusel topping completely or maybe use a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. I actually like to sprinkle a little sugar on top of the muffin when I heat it up to eat. Mm.

The muffins were so good! They were very moist and cake-y. 

Mm, hello lover. 

I actually ate mine with a fork, rather than risk them falling apart in my hand. The muffins didn’t dry out over the course of the week, either! I froze a few of the muffins for later, and they were just as good as when they were fresh out of the oven.

As usual, I would love to know if you try the recipe and if you like it …and if your batter turns out super-thick like mine.

Do you have any fun specialty cookbooks? Any favorite muffin recipes you care to share??

I am Grateful...

...for fuzzy bees that sit on flowers long enough to get a few perfect pictures.

...that I took a LOT of pictures over the summer so I can enjoy them in the dead of Wisconsin winter.

...that it is Wednesday and halfway through the week.

...this institution celebrates Sacred Hour each Wednesday. We're given this hour each week to use for reflection, prayer, connection, etc. There is Common Prayer offered each week, but usually I just use the time to close my door, and read or rest, or sometimes even to practice biofeedback!

...for Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies and made from scratch mixed berry muffins.

...for ChapStick.

What are you grateful for today?

Memories & Glue

I finally finished a project I have been thinking about for a while. See, a few years ago I bought a shadowbox that I never ended up using for the project I had in mind at the time. Not one to just get rid of things that can be useful, I saved it. The darn thing moved with me from Fort Collins to Milliken, and finally, to Wisconsin, where it still sat around for a while. I wanted to use it for just the right thing.

It finally hit me when I changed my license plates. I knew I wanted to use my Colorado plates for something and finally could! 

I gathered some things from my time in Colorado, though that was easier said than done. I wanted to put things that reminded me of good times, favorite places, and people, but I didn't want to fill it with pictures (that's what my scrapbook and other framed photos are for), nor did I want to stick anything too valuable or irreplaceable in there. And then, like most of my projects, this one sat around for a long time until I finally did it!

 

No, your eyes aren't fooling you, I blurred out part of the number.

It took me a few tries to get everything arranged how I liked. And then I had to get a bit creative with putting everything in there. Obviously a shadowbox has depth, so I wanted to use that and shoot for a layered look.  

I started with my old, trusty map of Fort Collins. Boy, I used that thing a lot when I first moved there! It was definitely worn in places. I took the map and glued it to the back of the shadowbox. I tried very hard to make sure the part glued to the back included campus and the area of town where I lived for 5 whole years. While you can't actually see where I lived (it's covered by the license plate), you can see where campus is...right by my CSU Alumni pin!

You can also see a couple of tickets in the photo- one is for the Denver Art Museum (DAM) and one is for the Budweiser Brewery. What a contrast, huh? The Brewery was a fun place to visit, particularly because it was the first one I ever toured and it's home to one of the Clydesdale teams. I went there a number of times over the years- with my family, friends, and grad school peers- and it was fun every time. I didn't visit the DAM until the last couple years I lived in Colorado. I wish I had gone sooner! And became a member! It's a place that has some great memories attached...and great art! Plus it's very interactive, which is fun for everyone, let's be honest. 

Oh, The Rio! I may miss you most of all! OK, probably not, but I have not had a margarita as good or as potent anywhere else! Seriously, there is a 3 margarita limit- I debated displaying the back of the matchbox because it says that! The salsa was delish there too. The food was good, but people typically didn't go there for the food. I couldn't even tell you how many times I went there to celebrate something...or to start out a fun evening with a marg! 

Another place I went to often, in the later years, was Jay's. My advisor loved that place and would sometimes take his students out for a nice evening...on his dime. I had some really great times with him there. To me, Jay's meant laughter, live jazz, amazing creme brulee, wine, and oysters. Not all at the same time, though. :) I also remember cold nights...for some reason I really only remember being there when it was cold out, which makes me think of the twinkly Christmas lights on all the trees and walking down the street arm-in-arm with my advisor and a good friend. 

I tucked a map of Colorado in there, as well as my brochure/guide to the DAM. I also included a New Belgium bottle cap. I think it was from a Fat Tire or maybe a Skinny Dip. Gosh, I just realized...it may seem like I just drank a lot the whole time I was in Colorado! Budweiser, The Rio, Jay's, New Belgium. I promise, I didn't! In fact, I've probably had more New Belgium brews since I left Colorado than I did when I was living there. 

My little shadowbox might not seem like much, but it was fun putting it together and fun reminiscing. When I think of the good times I had at these places, it brings up all kinds of other related memories too! Good times.

Cravings

Last night, I was suddenly craving something a bit sweet and decided to make cookies. I took a quick mental inventory of my cupboards and realized I probably had all the ingredients for oatmeal cookies. I Googled a recipe and was dismayed to find the first few called for quick-cooking oats, when all I had was old-fashioned oats. Boo.

And then, Smitten Kitchen came to my rescue! Have I mentioned how much I love this blog? I love her photos! Her baby is adorable! And she's pretty funny, too.

Anyway, I basically followed her recipe except I added a dash of nutmeg (it's almost a compulsion...whenever cinnamon is involved, I believe deep down in my soul that nutmeg should also be included) and I used dried cranberries instead of raisins. Nothing against raisins...I just love cranberries. Mm.

I made a couple of trays of cookies, and formed the rest of the dough into dough balls onto a parchment-lined plate and threw that into the freezer. Later, when the balls (hehe, balls) were firm (oh dear), I tossed them into a freezer bag for later. Yay me for planning ahead.

Make these cookies. The recipe is easy, quick, and not overly sweet. I'm tempted to eat them for breakfasts...They're basically like a granola bar anyway!

Unsettled

Occasionally I dream about someone from my past. These dreams seemingly rise up out of nowhere ... like fog...and they bother me. Not because they're bad dreams or anything. In fact, they're usually fairly nice dreams. They usually involve him and me... and strong feelings for each other... though sometimes the feelings are expressed a bit too late and other times we're right smack dab in the middle of this deep love for each other.

Like last night. My dream last night involved a marriage proposal. The ring I got had a "diamond" that looked like a hunk of hand blown glass....you could see those tiny little bubbles inside. I didn't seem to care that much. But to his credit, he told me it was temporary and took me to a fancy store to find the one I wanted pretty much right away. The dream was nice. We were happy.

But I opened my eyes this morning and the whole thing bothered me. These dreams about him just bother  me. Why him? Why now? Why does he pop up out of nowhere without a reason? It's not like I heard something about him recently or saw a picture or anything. I've virtually heard nothing from him since maybe once or twice very early in college. Before that we had basically parted ways sometime in the middle of high school and really had little to do with each other.

Usually I can shrug these feelings off, but today seems different. I feel foggy. I feel distracted and irritated. And it's almost like I have this nagging worry about him. For the very first time in years I have actually thought about trying to find out about him. I even tried to see if he was on Facebook.

But why? I don't really want to have an ongoing friendship with him...not really. And I think I heard a long time ago that he was married. So why now?

What does it all mean?
Why do I continue to have dreams about this guy?
What should I do?

Aw, Shucks!

I got an award! Thanks Suz, you're awesome!! I'm flattered!

I've mentioned Suz's blog here before, and if you haven't checked her out, seriously, do so! Be sure to read all about her recent mission trip to Dubai, check out her book reviews, and read all about her other adventures in being a {gulp} new 30-year-old!

So now, I'm supposed to accept this award: Thank you, I accept. :-) Check.
Link back to the person who awarded it: Suz. Check.
Tell you 7 things about myself (see below) and tag 15 other lovely bloggers (hmm..).

Without further ado, seven things about me:

1. I have a freakishly good memory. Seriously, it sometimes irritates people. Or impresses them when it's handy. K-Dog loves when I can tell him where I last saw something on the disaster area that is his desk. True story, I'll say something like, "That book is on the left side of your desk, under the stack of papers, about 2/3 the way down." And I'll be sitting in my office.

2. It takes me forever to make certain decisions. For instance, I still haven't decided on paint colors for my kitchen and dining rooms, bedroom, or bathroom. Not that I'm in a rush, but seriously. I think this indecision is actually a family trait.

3. I might get to teach Human Sexuality next summer! I am excited and terrified about this. I was the TA for the class while in graduate school and I did some guest lecturing. But teaching it all by myself? Yikes.

4. When someone suggests that I "just ask The Crush out" I simultaneously want to laugh, cry, and throw up.

5. I just joined Facebook at the end of last April. Yup. As in, about five months ago. I hate Facebook drama, and working with college students, I see a lot of it. Since I've joined, there are times I think it's fun and times I think about closing my account. I still hate Facebook drama. And I'd rather blog.

6. I've recently been watching all the seasons of 24 on Netflix Instant online. I get sucked in each time, even though the show is entirely too predictable. Seriously. Yet, I'm addicted. It may be that I have a crush on Jack Bauer and think he gets cuter every season. Except when he cries. I hate when he cries...he looks fake and kinda scary. I should know, I see people cry every day at work.

7. Looking back, I think the research I am most proud of is my Master's thesis. I was thinking about it again the other day and I really feel as though it is my baby. All mine. And I'm proud of it. Yet, it's not published and likely never will be. That's a story for another time... But I kind of miss doing research like that. If only there were more hours in the day.

OK, now... onto the bloggers... Hmm. I don't think I even read 15 blogs that I could tag, but here's what I've got:

EKN at Tales of Our Journey
Kim at Kim's Spot
N at N's Wonderful World
Amber at A little bit of everything

Um... I think that's all I've got. I mean, I read a bunch of other blogs, but they're not really those kinds of blogs. So here's to the four I chose!!! Woohoo! Cheers ya'll! Enjoy!

Technicolor Pepper

Thanks to my brother, I got to enjoy this delicious, multicolor pepper!

She was purty AND tasted good!

I Know You're Dying to Know...

He didn't show up.

I was in the foyer greeting people, answering questions, and pointing people in the right direction, so I'm fairly sure I saw the majority of the 250-300 people at the event. I mean, sure, there's a chance he managed to get into the big ballroom/conference room area through one of the side doors, but that's unlikely.

I swear I saw him walking toward the building (I was right by a window) at one point and my heart started racing.... but obviously not.

Anyway, the event itself was a big success (not that I had much to do with that part- I wasn't able to attend the planning meetings). We had an awesome turnout, the speaker was actually pretty good, and it was nice to be involved in a collaborative community project!

Cute?!

I think YOU guys are cute! Thanks for your comments... though I must say, I'm kind of having a tough time with the decreased ability to focus, the knots in my stomach, and the difficulty carrying on conversations at times. Sigh. And that's not even when The Crush is around. When he's around, I feel the way Buddy the Elf described it in this scene in the movie Elf. For those of you not able to click the link, it's the scene when Buddy finally asks Jovie out...this quote fits me the best:

Buddy: But... I really wanted to see you, and... and I think you're beautiful, and I, um...I feel really warm when I am around you, and, um, my tongue swells up. 

 Uh, yeah. I think that sums it up in a nutshell.

Although today, I really am proud of myself for carrying on a conversation. For longer than like two minutes! And actually, if TC is kind of shy, he did a great job carrying on a conversation also! Yay for both of us!

So remember when K-Dog and I had to do the presentation for TC's students? Well I was a bit surprised when we never got a thank you email or anything since from what I hear, TC seems to be a really considerate guy. Today, TC came by with a t-shirt for each of us as a thank you. The t-shirts were leftover from an event and are pretty cool...except they are neon green!! Yikes! Mine is made of the sweat-wicking material but apparently he didn't have one in a big enough size for K-Dog, so he just got a regular cotton tee. Heehee.

Anyway, I was typing away at my computer when TC came in... again, I didn't hear the door and just barely heard a tiny noise when I peered out my door and there he was. Since K-Dog was on the phone, TC came right into my office. I told him he was really a "silent walker" and should wear a bell because I can never hear him come in (later I realized he had a student behind him , who let the door close quietly). All I could think about was the last time he showed up! Maybe he was thinking that too, I don't know. I know my face felt a little warm and I'm sure I was a little bit flushed. I know I was smiling and I think there was good eye contact during the whole interaction.

After I asked him how his event went (yay for me for remembering social skills!) and we chatted a bit about that, he said that he was still planning to send that flier out to some people and that he'd already mentioned it to a few people. And then he said, "it's tomorrow night already." We chatted a bit more and he said it was nice that it was free and he thought he "might go just for the appetizers!" as it's at a local steakhouse and the apps are free! I told him he should go! We talked more about that and I told him he didn't even have to register because they managed to count me twice. We swapped stories about what we knew about the speaker... again, this is a speaker he has some interest in so bonus points for me for actually have some background info on her!!

Then he said, "Well, could you give this (shirt) to K-Dog for me? I can't stand here all day while he's yappin' on the phone." We both chuckled because we know K-Dog can be chatty. I said I would give it to him and pass along his thanks and appreciation.

And then he left. And I hyperventilated. And posted on my blog.

The end.

PS- 1. I've already had about 6 conversations about what I'm wearing tomorrow on the off-chance that he shows up at this event.
2. I have a suspicion that if his students actually DO go to this event, he'll end up with them...in his professional role, which will leave limited time for he and I to interact.
3. I could vomit.

Can't. Breathe.

My Crush was just here.

In my office.

He gave me a shirt. As a thank you for the talk we did. (K-Dog got one too).

We chatted.

I might pass out.

That's all for now....I need to breathe into a paper bag.

Paperclips & Neurotransmitters

Do you ever fidget with paperclips? Bend them? Twist them around? I do. I often do it during meetings or when I'm sitting around with colleagues and talking about work stuff.

I sometimes do it during presentations, obviously under the table or behind a podium where no one sees. I even did it during my thesis defense.

It's stress relief, I guess.

Apparently, I also end up making little paperclip hearts sometimes.

Ugh. I tried to tell you. All that dopamine and serotonin. It's real. And powerful.  


Bleh. Somebody make it stop.

*Afterthought: Yesterday, I also found myself nearly squealing with glee at the oh-so-adorable little boy dressed in his very-first-day-of-school-best, standing on his porch proudly while his mom and dad took pictures to commemorate the event. Two blocks later, I was ready to drive to the animal shelter and adopt a puppy because I saw the cutest, tail-wagging, leash-chewing puppy out for a walk with its owner. Again, gleeful "oohs" and "ahhs" ensued. I reminded myself I have two dogs. And no time for a puppy. Sigh.