This is one of my very favorite summer recipes. It makes a tonne, so I make it and then we have leftovers for lunch for a good several days. I just made some this afternoon, so I figured I'd share it here. Let me know if you make it and enjoy it!



( recipe under the cut...Collapse )

Okay, these might have surpassed the raspberry-corn and blueberry-buttermilk muffins as my favorite muffins to bake. Mollie Katzen continues to be my culinary muse. This is another recipe from Sunlight Cafe, a breakfast cookbook.

One thing that she offers as a variation (which I didn't do yesterday, but will try one day), is to substitute up to half of the flour with soy protein powder (not soy flour). It adds more protein and makes denser muffins. I typically don't notice any strange texture difference when they're freshly baked from other muffins when I do use it, so I do recommend it, but with a caveat: these muffins are generally the best within an hour or two of baking them. The flavor starts to decline after a few hours, and the next morning, they're still good, but nowhere near as amazing (probably 60% of their original delicious). When I've used soy protein powder, I've found that even the next morning they've declined even more than that.

Typically, I bake muffins when we're having company (copilot and I each trying to eat six muffins would be a recipe for comedy disaster) or I bake half of the batter and save the rest in the refrigerator for the following day. That way we're eating them when they're amazing.

Another note about this recipe -- mincing the crystallized ginger took longer than expected. I think I may look into food processing next time, or some other method to see if I can get small pieces that way. But if not, oh well, I'll just plan more mincing time next time. These muffins are THAT GOOD. nomnomnom

( ginger-pear muffinsCollapse )

A few people asked for the bread recipe we used this weekend. Here it is!

★ The article that explains it -- written by Mark Bittman, who is always fun to read -- here. [eta: mish just linked me to a video where you see the process as well. It's here]

★ The recipe from the NY Times (the one we used) is here.

★ Another recipe that we found that we want to try soon is here.

mmmm.... bread

Okay, I've made these twice now, to rave reviews both times. Mollie Katzen is like, one of my culinary gods. I've been cooking from her cookbooks for years and always find things that I love. Both of these recipes are from Sunlight Cafe, a breakfast cookbook.

One thing that she recommended (which I did with both recipes), was to substitute up to half of the flour with soy protein powder (not soy flour). It adds more protein and makes denser muffins. I didn't notice any strange texture difference from other muffins when I used it, so I totally recommend it.

( chocolate-ricotta muffinsCollapse )


( raspberry-corn muffinsCollapse )

So, enjoy! Come back and let me know if you try them, I'd like to hear if you enjoyed them the way I did! ♥

• a rec:
  thenotoriousso4 wrote an absolutely wrenching and beautiful story. It's Dean's perspective and tells the aftermath of losing Seamus and the way Neville helps him pick up the pieces. It's rich and full, and tells a lot through few words. The thing that absolutely owns me about this story is how she leaves it. There is so much there that leaves the reader just building their own understanding of what's just happened. I love this story. Go read. Cry. Love. ♥ Link here: Already Gone
  
  [also, it's her birthday and as she rocks my world nearly every day, you should give her much love. I have a birthday story to post for her, but it still needs tweaking, so I'll post tomorrow or Tuesday.]



• a recipe:
  I love to make veggie quesadillas. They're not perfect, but this is a very simple, easy recipe and omg, so good. Right, darthrami??
  ( recipe hereCollapse )



• a question:
  Last night, copilot and I went to watch DC United play the LA Galaxy [boo hiss, DC should not have been playing as poorly as they were. but, yay! Cobi Jones. I ♥ him.] During the match I turned to copilot and said, "Oooh, I should write: Seamus and Dean go watch DC United.
  
  I mentioned this to a few of my peeps from hp_dcmetro today at our meet up, saying that it's much more interesting to exaggerate and turn my adventures into Seamus & Dean stories so people will read them, but balefully scoffed at that idea, saying that people would definitely read it.
  
  So...
  
  Poll #808200 important questions, all...
  

  Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All. Participants: 36
  

  How should I write my latest adventure?

  View Answers
  

  as a Seamus & Dean story [with changes and exaggeration]

  7(16.3%)

  as a kaalee & copilot story

  5(11.6%)

  both!

  29(67.4%)

  Oh, please, god. NEITHER.

  2(4.7%)
  
  

I have many, many more things to say, as we had a quick trip to Boston for marriage/wedding stuff and I had many things that made me: sad, overwhelmed, and renewed. So, much talky from me later. ♥ *love*