Hump Day Blurb!

The early morning sky is still midnight blue, but lightening to gray-blue with each passing minute. The naked tree branches, craggy and disjointed, reach upward in a permanent stretch against the sky. The local NPR host just announced another ominous forecast for the next few days, the lookout for which begins tonight and ends Friday. Another glorious March in New England. I love it! 

It's amazing what a complete night's sleep will do for one's disposition! That old bitch Insomnia has been plaguing my nights for the past week or so and, at least for last night, she couldn't rouse me. After falling into slumber's embrace at 8:45, she tickled me awake at midnight (as has been par for the course for lo this past week), but that blessed slumber hugged me tighter and didn't let go until 4:40 a.m.! I was so happy I could have cried. If I were a crier. Which I'm not. Except when something remotely sad happens in a TV show. Or movie. But that's not my fault - ever since the two hurricanes (Isaac and Shiloh) the water works are beyond me if I see something sad! So, you see, that doesn't count.

I just printed off two copies of Reality Check to plop into the mail within the next day or so. I need to stop by the library after work to check out a copy of one of the magazines I want to submit it to ensure it's the type of story they'd even consider. The other is an online magazine I received a link to via a newsletter with different work-at-home opportunities. They accept fiction, and their submission guidelines state "Send us your work. Most of the time we don't know what we like until we read it." What the hey? It'll only cost the price of postage.

Who's hungry? I have some yummy muffins for you! (if you're partial to berry muffins, that is!) I perfected the recipe from King Arthur's Flour's "Our Favorite Blueberry Muffin" recipe this week. It was the fifth time I've made them; and Inspiration's wand tapped me on the head - I substituted vanilla almond milk for regular milk. I also borrowed their photo,  since the I have no camera, and the lens on my iPhone camera is so scratched all you get for photos now is a hazy blur. I love muffins because I always have baking goods on hand, they're easy to whip up and plop in front of the kids weekday morning whence we've run out of cereal and I don't feel like cooking eggs.

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST?

Mmmmmmmmm

BERRY MUFFINS

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

6 TBSP softened butter
3/4 c granulated sugar
2 c flour (I prefer Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c vanilla almond milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c berries (I use the frozen Wyman's mixed berries, use whatever fresh or frozen berries you like)
Cinnamon-sugar mix (you can buy in the store or make your own. I keep a small spice canister with a four tablespoon sugar / 2 tsp cinnamon ratio on hand)

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tins, or use those handy-dandy cupcake wrappers.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. (If your mixer doesn't turn on after you plug it in - don't go to DEFCON 1 like I did the other day and start planning the funeral for your precious baby because it's irretrievably broken - check your nearest GFI switch). Add the eggs in one at a time. In as separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add this in batches to the butter-sugar-egg mixture. Next drizzle in the vanilla almond milk then the vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Fold in the berries of your choosing. I find that using a 1/4 dry measuring cup is the easiest way to distribute batter to muffin tins - but fill the tins with whatever means at your disposal. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the top.

Plop them in the oven for 22 - 25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and enjoy!