what day is it

Holiday Mondays have a way of messing with me.

I realized this morning in the way to work (work in the morning means it's Tuesday) that I hadn't done my blog post. I had however, done nearly 50 midterm practice questions, three loads of laundry, and half the dishes. I'm willing to call that a productive day.

Oh, and muffins.

Muffins are in some ways a near perfect food. Much like biscuits, you can whip them up in no time at all, they can be sweet or savoury and you can dress them up of leave them plain. Plus, portable, hand held food.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

What you need:

• 1-1/2 c flour
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plain yogurt with as much fat in it as you can find (or sour cream)
• ~1/4 c melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Nope, no cinnamon in the picture. That's because I decided to add it as I was mixing. Cinnamon and chocolate are a tasty combination.

What you gotta do:

Put all the dry powdery stuff in a big bowl and whisk it together.

Put all the wet stuff into another bowl, and whisk it.

I know most recipes go into a lot more detail than that when explaining how to make muffins, but really, that's what happens.

Dry in one bowl, wet in the other. This is so easy a 9 year old could do it.

Now, pour the whisked wet into the whisked dry.

And then fold them together with a wooden spoon. It's not a runny "batter" by any stretch of the definition, and really feels kinda like a fluffy cookie dough as you're mixing those last dry bits in.

Along with the chocolate chips.

This makes the perfect amount for 12 muffins, and it definitely sits up like cookie dough in the tins.

I baked mine at... Fuck, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Oh yeah, this is my new oven.

No window. And no light inside either. I'm going to go insane baking cookies. I need to see them! I like to watch the edges spread, and the tops lose their wet look, and see the chocolate melt...

Also, it seems to cook a bit hotter than my last one. Stove elements seem to have more juice too. Amusing since my last one was only 2 years old and this thing is nearly antique. Does "Admiral" even make stoves anymore?

Anyway, bake the muffins at 350 for about 18 minutes. Mine smelled done after 16, and a toothpick came out clean, but like I said, seems to cook a little hot. Plus, the line on the dial is nearly worn off so it's difficult to tell exactly what temp I've set the oven to.

Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before moving them to a rack.

Freeze in pairs for breakfast throughout the week.

So, are you a peeker? Do you have to see what's going on in your oven?