Carrot Cake Muffins

I know. I know.  I promised this wouldn't be a food blog.  Given my photography/food stylist skills and my limited culinary abilities -- it's the least I can do.  Still, every once in a while I stumble upon a recipe worthy of sharing (e.g., eating) and easy enough that even I could attempt it.  This is just such a recipe -- in time for Easter and all things Easter Bunny, like carrots.

The yummy result! 

I found this recipe in The New York Times online.  There are lots of ingredients, but it's well-worth it and none are too exotic.

You will need:

2.5 c. whole wheat pastry flour (okay, forget what I said about not being exotic.  I Googled "pastry flour" and realized I could combine half cake flour [1 1/4 c.]  and half all purpose flour [1 1/4 c.].  I used unbleached flour and achieved great results)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Sift these ingredients together into a bowl.  I don't have a real sifter and instead substituted this strainer. 

I know.  Resourceful, right?

In a separate bowl, beat together:

2 eggs

1/3 c. raw brown (turbinado) sugar - it's, apparently, all the rage these days, but I did have to make a special trip to the store for this item

I had to settle for the individuals packets.  1/3 c = approx 10 packets

 1/3 c. canola oil

1 1/3 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 Also, 

1 1/2 c. grated carrots (hooray for the food processor!) 

Note: The NYT suggests the addition of 2/3 c. golden raisins tossed with 1 tsp. of unbleached all-purpose flour or 2/3 c. chopped pecans.  I didn't add either, preferring pure unadulterated carrot muffins - though the addition of cream cheese frosting or a nut crumble on top did cross my mind. 

Using a spatula, combine the wet and dry ingredients.  Do not beat, even "lumps are fine, but don't leave flour in the bottom of the bowl" (the NYT food writer knows me too well).  Finally, fold in carrots.  (If you include raisins or nuts, you would add them now and stir). 

Coat muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and fill each cup 2/3 full.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.  

Not too sweet.  Not too carroty.  Just 12 delicious muffins.  

The finished product minus 1, 2, 3!  

I told you they were good. 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Yesterday was Opening Day in Major League Baseball.  This had very little impact on our family.  

It didn't affect  her . . .

At a Braves game in 1996

or him . . .

A sports camp photo from 2001 (and he played a few seasons of t-ball too)

though he looks adorable doesn't he?  

or him, really . . . 

My husband played catcher on his high school baseball team. That's him rounding the bases in the spring of 1978. 

though my husband is an avid and lifelong Braves fan and he'll be watching more than a few games this season.

However, hundreds of miles away in Virginia, this guy may be the happiest member of my family to see today arrive.

I don't have a cute photo of him dressed in baseball apparel, but trust me when I say, he's got it. 

My dad is a huge fan of baseball. He roots for the Red Sox and Orioles, but we forgive him!  

Baseball great Rogers Hornsby said, "People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball.  I'll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring" but it sounds an awful lot like something my dad could've said. 

So hooray for baseball season, the boys of summer and the inventor of the major league baseball network! Right, dad?

Play ball! 

La Tour Eiffel

Our daughter took these lovely photos - April 2010

One hundred and twenty-two years ago today the Eiffel Tower was opened to the public.  

The most iconic edifice in the world is beautiful, an engineering feat.  

So, it is regrettable to have to admit that although I have had the good fortune of traveling to Paris twice in the past 25 years, I have never actually been in/on the Eiffel Tower.  

My first trip, just after college, I didn't think I could afford the, what I considered, hefty admission price. So, I was satisfied standing on the ground admiring its beauty and grandeur.  Truthfully, I wasn't heartbroken.  I know I must have felt that I most certainly would be back - sooner rather than later and then I could, if I wanted to, take the ride to the top.  

In front of the Eiffel Tower in May 1986.

Imagine my utter disappointment when last year on my second trip to France, an electrical workers strike "short-circuited" (pun intended) our visit. The Tower was closed during our entire 3-day stay in Paris. 

 

I hope to return one day, sooner rather than later, and ascend to the top, taking nothing for granted.