August 20, 2013

Benjamin Harrison 8.20.13 Thought of the Day

By ritalovestowrite

“I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth will starve in the process.” — Benjamin Harrison

Portrait of the 23rd U.S. president Benjamin H...

Portrait of the 23rd U.S. president Benjamin Harrison. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Benjamin Harrison was born on this day in North Bend, Ohio in 1833. Today is the 180th anniversary of his birth.

Benjamin was the second of eight children born to John and Elizabeth Harrison at their farm near Cincinnati, Ohio. He went to school in a one-room schoolhouse as a child. For college he attended Farmer’s College in Cincinnati. He went on to study law at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

He married Caroline Lavinia Scott on October 20, 1853. The moved to Indianapolis, Indiana the following year and he began to practice law. When the Civil War broke out he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 70th Indiana Infantry. Eventually he earned the rank of brigadier general.

Colonel Benjamin Harrison

Colonel Benjamin Harrison (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With  his strong political pedigree — which includes

  • a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Harrison V  and
  • his grandfather, the ninth President of the United States, William Henry Harrison

he seemed destined to enter the political arena. He ran for Governor of Indiana in 1872 & 1876.

The Democrats defeated him for Governor of Indiana in 1876 by unfairly stigmatizing him as “Kid Gloves” Harrison. In the 1880’s he served in the United States Senate, where he championed Indians. homesteaders, and Civil War veterans. [Whitehouse.gov]

He was in the Senate from 1881 to 1887. In 1888 he ran against Grover Cleveland for US President. Harrison won all the Northern states except Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri.

English: This image is based off this image fr...

English: This image is based off this image from Wikipedia, which in turn is based off this image from the Commons. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cleveland took all the Southern states.  Cleveland actually had 100,000 more popular votes, but Harrison won the Electoral College 233 to 168.

U.S. President Benjamin Harrison.

U.S. President Benjamin Harrison. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Highlights of the Harrison Administration include:

  • The first Pan American Congress (1899)
  • The Dependent and Disability Pension Act
  • Naval expansion
  • The McKinley Tariff
  • The Sherman Antitrust Act

He was the first President to have his voice captured on a recording when Giuseppe Bettini used a wax phonograph cylinder to record this 36 second clip…

When Harrison entered office there was a significant treasury surplus. He chose to spend it on  internal improvements and on pensions to Civil War veterans, their wives and children.  Harrison, his Republican House and Senate were dubbed “the Billion-Dollar Congress”

English: Harrison portrayed as wasting the sur...

English: Harrison portrayed as wasting the surplus gained under Cleveland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Long before the end of the Harrison Administration, the Treasury surplus had evaporated, and prosperity seemed about to disappear as well. Congressional elections in 1890 went stingingly against the Republicans, and party leaders decided to abandon President Harrison although he had cooperated with Congress on party legislation. Nevertheless, his party renominated him in 1892, but he was defeated by Cleveland. [Whitehouse.gov]

Republicans in the West peeled off to join the Populist Party (whose candidate, James Weaver, ran on a platform that included an 8-hour work day, better pensions for veterans and free silver.)

To make matters worse for Harrison his beloved Caroline was loosing her long fought battle against tuberculosis. Harrison’s decision to stay at the ailing Caroline’s side — and not go on the campaign trail — probably didn’t help his campaign bid. Caroline died a mere two weeks before election day.  Cleveland won the election soundly.

Benjamin Harrison, former President of the Uni...

Benjamin Harrison, former President of the United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Harrison travelled the country after his defeat, enjoying his role as “dignified elder statesman” [Ibid]. In 1896  at age 62 he married Caroline’s former secretary (and niece) the 37-year-old widow Mrs. Mary Scott Lord Dimmick. It was a bit of a family scandal since his adult children, Russel and Mamie were both older than his new wife. Mary bore Harrison another child, Elizabeth in 1897.

He caught influenza in February of 1901. It worsened to pneumonia and he passed away in March, 1901.

English: US Postage stamp: Benjamin Harrison, ...

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Leave a comment | posted in American History, Benjamin Harrison, History, postaday, Thought of the Day, Today's Birthday, United States

August 20, 2013

Muffin Monday: Apple Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

By ritalovestowrite
Apple Butter Chocolate Chip Muffin

Apple Butter Chocolate Chip Muffin

INGREDIENTS:

Apple butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare muffin cups by spraying with baking spray.

2. In a large bowl combine Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Salt, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Just Whites.

3. In a measuring cup combine the Milk, Oil and water. Stir into dry ingredients.

4. Add Apple Butter to batter. Mix well.

5. Add grated Beets or Zucchini and Mini Chocolate Chips. Fold in until incorperated.

6. Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle a half dozen or so additional mini chocolate chips on top.

Apple Butter Choc Chip in pan

7. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the tops of the muffin are slightly brown and they pass the tooth pick test.

8. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before enjoying.

single baked

I brought a couple of these to my knit group and had those ladies act as tasters. Virginia K. liked the chocolate chips, but thought they were too salty. Sheila S. liked the texture and the moisture level. She also liked they way the chocolate chips and beets were evenly distributed through out the muffin. But she found that the flavors were a bit too distinct and didn’t blend well. Maggie S. thought these were too moist. They were not her favorite muffins.

Personally I liked the stronger flavors of the ginger, cinimmon and nutmeg. I also liked the way the chocolate and spices worked with each other.

Let me know what you think!

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Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in chocolate, Muffin Monday, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day

August 19, 2013

Ahhh the Regency Life for me.

By ritalovestowrite

Austenland

Hold on to your bonnets ladies, Austenland is almost here. The film, which stars Keri  Russell as an uber  Jane Austen fan who travels to England for the vacation of a lifetime — a chance to live the Regency experience — won high marks at the Sundance Festival  and enjoyed a strong limited release this weekend. While the rest of us wait with bated breath for the film to come to our local movie house I thought I’d take a closer look at what life was really like in Jane’s day.  I was inspired by the August 15 HuffingtonPost.com article by Roy and Lesley Adkins which list 13 Reason You Wouldn’t Want to Live In Jane Austen’s England.

  1. Forced Marriage
  2. Infant Mortality
  3. Fetching Water
  4. Dangers of Fire
  5. Child Labor
  6. Chimney Sweeps
  7. Dubious Medicines
  8. Dodgy Dentistry
  9. Shocking Surgery
  10. Press Gangs
  11. The Bloody Code (Criminal Courts)
  12. Punishment After Death
  13. Injustice After Death

I’d like to humbly add my own warnings to coveting a life in an Empire dress.

An 1833 engraving of a scene from Chapter 59 o...

An 1833 engraving of a scene from Chapter 59 of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Bennet is on the left, Elizabeth on the right. This, along with File:Pickering – Greatbatch – Jane Austen – Pride_and_Prejudice – This is not to be borne, Miss Bennet.jpg, are the first published illustrations of Pride and Prejudice. Janet M. Todd (2005), Jane Austen in Context, Cambridge University Press p. 127 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First… forget about Darcy. If you are like me  (solidly in the middle class)  you’ve got about as much chance as marrying the Master of Pemberley (or  Donwell or Delaford or Mansfield) as you do of winning PowerBall. As Austen makes perfectly clear MONEY likes MONEY, and if you don’t have it you’re not likely to attract it. Maybe, if you are very, very pretty you might temp an unwary man (assuming there’s not an eagle-eyed sister, mother or aunt looking out for just your sort). However, with out the aid of modern dentistry and plastic surgery I hope that your beauty is God-given.

Be prepared to get sick. The food is going to totally suck. With out the benefit of an Amana French Door stainless steel refrigerator — the Regency cook’s best method  for preserving food is salt. Yum. The water is unfiltered and filled with lovely microbes and the milk is unpasteurized.

Ladies hush your mouth. If children were meant to be seen and not heard, members of the fairer sex weren’t expected to say much more. Certainly they weren’t expected to say anything that contradicted with the men around them. That may make Elizabeth Bennet all the more extraordinary, but don’t you go trying it.

Lady Catherine confronts Elizabeth about Darcy...

Lady Catherine confronts Elizabeth about Darcy, on the title page of the first illustrated edition. This is the other of the first two illustrations of the novel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Granted, it’s fun to don a Regency dress, long gloves and hat every once in a while, but I can’t imagine doing it every day. Summers must have been brutal (and aromatic) with all that fabric and no air conditioning.

Then again…I guess fantasy is part of the appeal of Austen’s novels. And every time I pick up one of Jane’s six novels (or one of the many Austen inspired books on my shelf) I’m a very willing participant in that fantasy…. As I will be when I go to see Austenland… if it ever makes it to a screen near me.

Jane Austen

Jane Austen (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Jane Austen, JASNA, Mr. Darcy, postaday, Pride and Prejudice, Thought of the Day, Writing

August 17, 2013

Secondary Character Saturday: Hermia

By ritalovestowrite
Washington Allston's 1818 painting Hermia and ...

Washington Allston’s 1818 painting Hermia and Helena. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who: Hermia

From: A Mid Summer Nights Dream

By: William Shakespeare

Written: between 1594 and 1595

Pros: Though she be but little she is fierce.  She stands up for herself and refuses to give up on love. She’s played by my friend, the amazing Lisa Davidson,  in Baltimore Shakespeare Factory‘s current offering.

Most Shining Moment: Standing up to her father (and facing the death penalty) for love.

Hermia approaches love as though it were something easily threatened, but not easily lost. At all points, Hermia’s relentless – you have to hustle if you’re going to hold on to your lover, and it’s worth the hustle if the love is true. Hermia thus provides a contrast to the self-doubting and flippant love around her. She may seem fierce and shrewd, but sometimes that’s just the way love goes, unless you’re willing to let it go all together. [Shmoop. com]

Related articles

ritaLOVEStoWRITE blog review of Mid Summer Night’s Dream [http://wp.me/2sm4g]

Hermia (Lisa Davidson) and fan (Maggie) off stage during intermission at the Factory's Mid Summer.

Hermia (Lisa Davidson) and fan (Maggie) off stage during intermission at the Factory’s Mid Summer.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Hermia, Midsummer Night's Dream, postaday, Shakespeare

August 16, 2013

Non-Fiction Friday: Nothing Much

By ritalovestowrite

It’s Friday and that means a writing prompt from the amazing Sidie at Viewfromtheside’s Blog. This week offering: “Nothing Much.” Today I’m straying away from fiction to write a bit of slice of life…

SVDG Yard Sale 8235

SVDG Yard Sale 8235 (Photo credit: RussellReno)

Yard Sale Manifesto

Tomorrow I’m are having a yard sale. For the past several weeks I’ve been gleaning, purging, editing and CLEANING various items that I think might actually sell. The strategy is three-pronged.

  • Prong One: make a bit of money to help play for some one’s tuition to grad school.
  • Prong Two: get rid of a bit of stuff that I don’t use very much.
  • Prong Three: say howdy to our neighbors.

Please note:

  •  “haggle over the already very reasonable prices” and
  • “put up with idiots who tear up the lawn by parking while stupid” and
  • “smile while people judge the crap I bought in the 1990’s”

are NOT among the guiding principles of the almighty three prong approach.

I’ve got a lovely little table for little folks where everything is marked a nickel. I’ve got some “Free with the purchase of…” flower pots and starter sets. I’ve got some small appliances that work great and cost a fraction of what they are selling for on Ebay. In a nutshell I’m being really, really reasonable…so please don’t demoralize all the hard work I’ve put into this and try to dicker me down another buck or two. It will only serve to tick me off.

I’m being fair, now return the favor.

Obviously I’m tired. You can hear it in my “voice,” can’t you?

So… what do I expect to come of the 8 to 10 hours of yard duty (plus untold hours getting ready)? Frankly NOTHING MUCH. But having admitted that from the start things can only go up from here, right?

Well, here’s hoping.

Yard sale in Moultrie, GA.

Yard sale in Moultrie, GA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) [Not my yard, or my yard sale.]

Also: when I say “I” what I really mean is “WE” because this has been a team effort. I hereby acknowledge the help, support and patience of my beloved family.

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6 Comments | posted in postaday, Writing

August 15, 2013

“Ponies for Everybody!” 500th Post!

By ritalovestowrite

500th blog post

I’m  not quite sure how this happened, but today is the day I write my 500th blog post for ritaLOVEStoWRITE.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yeah, that’s 500 exclamation points– I’m THAT excited!)

My Awesome followers (339 through WordPress, twitter, and tumbler + all the uncounted folks who read the posts via FaceBook) are probably a little tired of seeing me pop up in their inbox or feed every day. But thanks for sticking with me. And for spreading the word. Because of you ritaLOVEStoWRITE has gotten 42,930 hits.

While the majority of the visitors are from places that speak English like the U.S., Canada and the U.K. the blog has been read from folks in 157 countries around the world. The latest to join us is Tunisia (HI! Tunisia!) They stopped by 14 hours ago.

Latest global map showing where ritaLOVEStoWRITE has been read. Looks like I've got South America and Europe in good shape. Maybe a virtual good will tour is due for Greenland, Africa, the Middle East and Papua New guinea. North Korea and Svalbard Island may be too tough to crack. (You just looked up Svalbard Island, didn't you?)

Latest global map showing where ritaLOVEStoWRITE has been read. Looks like I’ve got South America and Europe in good shape. But, maybe a virtual good will tour is due for Greenland, Africa, the Middle East and Papua New Guinea. North Korea and Svalbard Island may be too tough to crack. So much for world domination. (You just looked up Svalbard Island, didn’t you?)

Yeah, so the next time you are at a Starbucks in Madagascar can you log on and check out the blog? Thanks!

Thank God for Lauren Bacall. Seriously. I don’t know who out there keeps checking Ms. Bacall’s 9.16.12 bioBLOG but not a day goes by without a couple of clicks to that post.

(Photo courtesy: Tweedland)

(Photo courtesy: Tweedland)

Ron Weasley too. He’s the number two most popular post on here. He was one of my Secondary Character Saturday picks.

But it seems the thing that interest you all the most is food. Muffin Mondays and the more recent Farm Fresh Challenge segments on Wednesdays make those the highest viewed days of the week.  On those days I wish there was a Scent-o-Vision app available for download so you too could breath in the wonderful aroma coming in from my kitchen.

IMG_5748

Beet and Fennel Muffins a Muffin Monday recipe from a few weeks ago.

I’ve really enjoyed sharing things I love (like Jane Austen and Shakespeare and music and even the occasional spot of fiction) with you. And I’ve enjoyed learning about the people I’ve profiled in the birthday bioBLOGS.

It has been a real labor of love, creativity, and discipline to write this beast every day, and I have to give a special nod to my family for being so understanding. They have been generous and patient with me. They’ve helped me come up with ideas and helped me edit rough copy. I am deeply grateful for their love and support.

Party Pony

3 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in postaday, Thought of the Day, Writing

August 15, 2013

Farm Fresh Challenge: Veggie Casserole

By ritalovestowrite

I am an unabashed lover of Maryland tomatoes. I could eat a nice firm slice of an heirloom tom with a tiny dash of salt and pepper and be the happiest girl this side of the Chesapeake. But after several weeks of tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in the CSA box I’m starting to lose pace. The crisper bin in my fridge is full of round red things and my CHALLENGE today is to do something about it! My solution? Vegetable Casserole.

In this week's box from Calverts Gift CSA I found: Green beans, tomatoes, french fingerling potatoes, sweet peppers, spring mix cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, garlic

In this week’s box from Calverts Gift CSA I found: Green beans, tomatoes, french fingerling potatoes, sweet peppers, spring mix
cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, garlic

INGREDIENTS:

From the BOX:

  • 1 large Tomato cut into 1/2″ pieces
  • 18 Cherry Tomatoes sliced in half
  • 2 Eggs

From the Pantry (and from previous boxes and trips to the farmers market)

  • 1 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 1 cup grated Italian Cheese
  • 1 8 oz package of Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Summer Squash
  • 1/2 cup grated Beets
  • 1/2 cup chopped Onion
  • Cooking Spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9″ square oven safe glass pan.

2. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Bread Crumbs in the pan.

3. Put on a layer of Summer Squash.

Zucchini

4. Add 1/4 cup of the Italian Cheese.

5. Add the Tomatoes.

Tomatoes

6. Beat the Cream Cheese (warm in microwave is necessary to get it super creamy) and spoon on top of the Tomatoes.

7. Add the Onions

Onions

8. Add another 1/4 cup of Cheese.

9. Add another layer of Bread Crumbs.

10. Add the Beets.

11. Add 1/4 Cheese.

12. Add the Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry Toms

13. Add the rest of the Bread Crumbs.

14. Add the rest of the Cheese.

15. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook an additional 10 minutes until cheese starts to brown.

Baked and crunchy

16. Let cool a few minutes before serving.  Enjoy.

On the plate

Do you have any tomato recipes you’d like to share? Please let me know.

Cheers, Rita

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Leave a comment | posted in Farm Fresh Challenge, postaday, Thought of the Day, Tomatoes

August 13, 2013

WELL met by Moonlight (and mid day) — Midsummer in the Meadow

By ritalovestowrite

The Baltimore Shakespeare Factory’s second offering this summer is the Bard’s classic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The play runs weekends  until 8/18th in the Meadow at Evergreen Museum on Charles Street, with command performances at Boordy Vineyards on 8/23 and at the company’s winter residence at the Great Hall at St. Mary’s in Hamden on 8/24 and 25.

Puck (Jenna K. Rossman) puts Lysander (Tanner Medding) into a spell induced slumber.

Puck (Jenna K. Rossman) puts Lysander (Tanner Medding) into a spell induced slumber.

Midsummer is a lovely companion piece to the Factory’s earlier summer production of Hamlet. It is lighter and full of mirth. A sweet ending to a meaty Danish feast.

Much of that mirth is due to two of the players, Jenna Rossman (Puck) and Zach Brewster-Geisz (Nick Bottom). Shakespeare sets Puck and Bottom up as comedy relief and Rossman and Brewster-Geisz steal the show. — I feel for the less raucous (but wonderfully played) lovers and nobles who have to compete with Puck and Bottom for the audience’s attention.

Puck (Jenna K. Rossman) and Oberon (Joel Ottenheimer) control the Meadow -- er -- fairy kingdom.

Puck (Jenna Rossman) and Oberon (Joel Ottenheimer) control the Meadow — er — fairy kingdom.

Rossman’s Puck strutted, preened and danced around like some Isadora Duncan nymph channeling Mick Jagger (in a good way). She seemed to be everywhere. It was a delight to watch her weave her magic both over the characters in the play and over the audience.

Puck and Nick during the post show "cast chat". (Sorry I don't have a better pic of Nick).

Puck and Nick during the post show “Cast Talk”. (Sorry I don’t have a better pic of Bewster-Geisz).

Brewster-Geisz’s Nick Bottom was simply a hoot. It’s a funny part on paper, but Zach really brought Bottom to life. Ever meet some one who thinks they can do everything better than any one else? That’s Nick Bottom. He’s so over the top. It’s just wonderful. Brewster-Geisz’s transformation from the uber confident self-proclaimed leader of the acting troop to the confused donkey-headed man who finds himself the lucky recipient of Titania’s affection is nicely done as well.

Demetrius and Lysander protect Helena from Hermia.

Manly-men Demetrius and Lysander protect Helena from Hermia.

The lovers quartet — Hermia , Lysander, Helena and Demetrius — is also strong. Lisa Davidson, Tanner Medding, Shaina Higgins, and Rick Lyon-Vaiden are in turns earnest, funny, feisty and gob-smack in love — though not always with the right people.

Joel Ottenheimer commands as Oberon

Joel Ottenheimer commands as Oberon

The rest of the cast is tight as well.  Joel Ottenheimer and Laura Rocklyn are noble and appropriately pompous as the Royals (both in the “real” world and in Fairy). Lee Condreacci, as Peter Quince, did her best to keep the players and Nick Bottom under control. Lisa Bryan, Lorriane Imwold, Lonnie DeVaughn Simmons, Emily Sucher and Tegan William are the backbone of the production as they round out the company, each playing multiple roles as fairies and players.

Lisa Davidson playing mandolin and singing during intermission.

Lisa Davidson playing mandolin and singing during intermission.

I love how FACTORY members perform modern music that relates to the show in the pre-show and intermission. It is yet another level on which the players relate to the audience. And it gives us a glimpse at how multi-talented these actors really are.

Post show "Cast Talk"

Post show “Cast Talk”

Be sure to stay after the curtain call for the “Cast Talk” when the cast and directors are happy to answer all questions Shakespearian.

The Baltimore Shakespeare Factory continues its Play On. 4 FREE. 4 Ever. campaign with the goal of bringing Shakespeare to all for free by 2016. To learn how you can help or to get tickets to an upcoming show visit their website at http://theshakespearefactory.com/

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Leave a comment | posted in Baltimore Shakespeare Factory, Midsummer Night's Dream, postaday, Shakespeare, Thought of the Day

August 12, 2013

Muffin Monday: Carrot Zucchini (plus a bonus muffin recipe)

By ritalovestowrite

Who doesn’t love Carrot Cake?

These muffins strip away the not-so-wonderful-for-you cream cheese icing and minimize the extra ingredients (I left the walnuts and raisins in the pantry) for a fresh, simple, delightful Carrot muffin recipe.

IMG_0387

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups grated fresh Carrots
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
Usually I hand grate my vegetables , but 4 cups (2 carrots / 2 zucchini) is a bit much for my wee little grater. So I pulled out the food processor.

Usually I hand grate my vegetables , but 4 cups (2 carrots / 2 zucchini) is a bit much for my wee little grater. So I pulled out the food processor.

  • 1 TBLS lemon juice
  • 1/2 TBLS Lemon Zest
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup regular Sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tea Vanilla
  • 1/2 cup skim Milk
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable OIl
  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 cup  White Flour
  • 3 tea Cinnamon
  • 1 tea Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tea Salt
  • 1/2 tea Baking Powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prep  18 muffin cups with spray.

2. Grate the Carrots and Zucchini. Toss with Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest.

3. In a large bowl mix together Sugars, Egg, Vanilla, Milk, Oil, and Honey.

4. Sift together Flours, Cinnamon, Baking Soda, Salt and Baking Powder.

5. Combine the Dry and Wet ingredients.

The batter awaits the Carrots and Zucchini

The batter awaits the Carrots and Zucchini

6. Add the Carrots and Zucchini.

7. Divide evenly into muffin cups.

8. Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffins pass the toothpick test.

9. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.

IMG_0385

This is not a muffin that needs much. It is sweet and moist and nicely balanced. Maggie S. longed for a bit of cream cheese icing, and wondered if we could somehow inject a dollop into the center for a delightful surprise. But I say fie upon your frosting, madam, this muffin is perfect the way it is.

IMG_0390

Bonus Muffin Recipe: Ice Cream Muffin

As you may be aware… we are in the home stretch leading up to ritaLOVEtoWRITE’s 500th BLOG (I know… get the balloons ready! Right?) So I thought I’d do a little early celebrating by sending along a BONUS Recipe today. This is from my creative sister-in-law Jean.  I’m not sure where she found it, but it has Ice Cream in the  title so how could I resist. (Please note I didn’t alter this recipe — except to make them muffins as opposed to “bread”)

IMG_0396

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups of Ice Cream, any flavor, softened (I used a combination of Chocolate,
    Strawberry and Black Cherry.
  • 1 1/2 cups Self-Rising Flour

(That’s it. Two ingredients.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray and dusting with flour.

2. In a medium bowl mix the Ice Cream and the Flour until just combined.

3. Scoop into muffin tin

4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffins pass the toothpick test.

5. Remove from pan to cool.

IMG_0392

I’m not one to waste perfectly good Ice Cream, so I wasn’t so sure about this recipe. But the muffins came out very nicely. A little dry, so definitely serve with some butter.  They picked up the chocolate flavor from the ice cream. I’d say these were a cross between a biscuit and a dry brownie.  An interesting experiment.

Hmmm You know what these would go well with? A scoop of  ICE CREAM!

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7 Comments   |  tags: | posted in Muffin Monday, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day