Muffkies, or Cookins

If you see my last entry, it was 78 yesterday. Today's high in Dallas is 33. Will someone please explain how I can cope with this nonsense?

I made a special breakfast food for Sunday to celebrate my birthday, and it turned out they were actually cookies.

There has been some controversy for quite awhile about muffins for breakfast, that they are really cake. People that like cake and want to eat it early in the day developed the muffin as an excuse. It is sort of like when Sauvignon Blanc swarmed the market and vintners started calling it Fume Blanc to give the market variety and appeal. Or like when real authors write bodice-ripping novels under surnames. Anyhoo...

I got this recipe from Gourmet a few years ago when I had a subscription. It was in a December issue, and I just forgot to notate that it was the COOKIE issue. They looked like muffins, so I did 'em.

They actually ARE cookies. But, if anything goes for breakfast, these will work. They were supposed to be mini muffins, but I don't have a mini muffin tin. I made regular sized muffkies, and they took about the same time in the oven. These are very tasty and unusual cookies, which should wow a cookie-exchange crowd.

Blueberry Lemon Crumbles
(makes 24 mini, or 12 regular cookins)

1 c sliced almonds with skins
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
2 t grated lemon zest
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 c) butter, softened
2 egg yolks
1 t vanilla
2 t fresh lemon juice
1/3 c dried blueberries
1/2 c blueberry preserves

Preheat oven to 375. Toast almonds in one layer in shallow baking pan, stirring once, until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Leave oven on.

Pulse flour, sugars, 1 t zest, cinnamon and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolks and vanilla and process until large clumps form.

Transfer 1 1/3 c of this packed dough to a bowl and stir in almonds. Some will break. This is your topping. Gather remaining dough in a ball.

Generously butter the muffin pan and start pressing at least 1 T dough in each muffin cup, bottom and sides. Chill about 15 minutes until firm.

In small bowl, combine blueberries, preserves, the other 1 t zest, and lemon juice. Spoon this into each muffin cup. Crumble the topping evenly on top.

Bake until topping is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling. Cool completely in pan on rack. Loosen edges by gently twisting the muffkie in the cup, or use a sharp knife or spatula. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Busted!

Yes, we skipped church today. Confession is good for the soul, and I already feel much better.

It was my one day off, and we decided to celebrate my birthday today all day. I had already picked out the wine: an Italian Primitivo (Zinfandel) from Puglia called Layer Cake. We sort of expected a Zin-like experience, and we got more than we bargained for. This was a delicious wine. Very fruity, with a touch of spice, LOTS of chocolate, and just a little hint of smoke at the end when drunk with food. I originally picked it out because of the name, with the obvious birthday tie-in. Although we think lots of Italian reds are fabulous and probably better with pasta than this one, it was a delightful wine from start to finish.

I might note, it was 79 degrees today. That is wrong. Just wrong.

Arneis

We are always in the mood for a delicious Italian white wine. Except for breakfast, of course. Due to KK's work schedule, we haven't had much time for wine lately. But Saturday afternoon seemed ideal for a crisp white wine, and Chicken Bowl, of course. (I'm pretty sure we've already blogged about Chicken Bowl previously, but it is a perfect vehicle for trying new whites.)

Saturday was a mere 62 degrees in Dallas, but that made it perfect for a chilly white. Shaw had picked up this Arneis in Central Market for maybe $18, and we had heard of the varietal as a new, upcoming white.

I'll get Shaw to give more details, but suffice it to say this was really delicious. Not as sweet as a Gavi, although slightly sweet on the initial attack. There was a lovely balance of bitter citrus peel finish to class it up. I'd drink it again, especially if I find other labels of it for less.

O, Texasbaum

Here is our Christmas tree for 2008. Thanks to Beth for reminding me our identical cameras have a "night" setting. I have pretty much stuck to basic picture taking, only changing the dial for an occasional 2 minute movie. Boy, do I feel sheepish.

Still, nothing takes place of being there. Christmas trees and fireworks just don't photograph like their true selves.

(NB: no fireworks were used in our Christmas decorating this year.)

Dining Room's Final Curtain

Here is the final edition of our Dining Room pictures. I put some of that super funky garland (silver, this time) around the chandelier, but the main attraction to me is still the curtains.

We used last weekend as a deadline for putting up the curtain tiebacks. Thanks to some Shaw Ingenuitity, we found a way to make them look like I wanted, not like what I bought. I had no idea they were so short! Once we extended them, it looks just perfect.

Not to keep going on about our bordello dining room or anything. I just wanted to put the finished look up here for Mom to see. And I need to get a copy of this picture for Granny.

Mantel

I thought the mantel needed some "sprucin' " up. I have sort of coveted these little Alpine trees for a few years. I think they would look super cool outdoors at the front door. But we are not big into deckin' the outside of the house, as we are inside of it most of the time.

I got this picture from our wedding reception enlarged a month ago and it doesn't really work for the "hole in the wall" on the stair way, like I intended for it. But it works really cool on the mantel. I don't think it will stay there; probably it is headed to a bedroom wall. But anyway, when I got it enlarged through a company online, I never noticed the special feature in the back; Jerry is making bunny ears on Mary's head. The framers thought it might affect my decision to get it framed; NO WAY! It makes it more like my family. At least Jerry wasn't popping someone's bra. (Story for later.)

I ended up putting about a zillion white lights on our Christmas tree when we decorated last weekend, and actually ran out at the top. We got a 9 ft tree since we have no ceiling and KK likes trees. But KK didn't plan on THAT many lights. Plus she was laying them on really thick. God bless Home Depot, right around the corner. I ran out there and also found these funkadelic retro star lights. I had no destination for them, but they were too cool to pass up. So I ended up stringing them on the mantel. This picture was taken in daylight; take my word for it, they are much cooler in the dark. Same for the Christmas tree. They just photograph so poorly with flash. Someone tell me how to take that kind of shot with a digital camera.

Deckin' Some Stairs

We're supposed to have our Sunday School Christmas party at our crib this weekend. After all this hectic schedule, it was a good incentive to get some Christmas decorations up early. It is always a bittersweet time for me, as I LOVE the Christmas season, and enjoy decorating the place we live (which is now a house), but I work so many evenings and cannot enjoy my handiwork. Sometimes, if I'm lucky, Shaw has left them on when I get home, or turns them on before I get up.

Anyhoo, this year I found some super funky red garland at Hobby Lobby, so I'm going to blog that one first. I went and visited it in the store at least twice before purchasing, since I thought, "This is either really tacky, or super cool." I decided on the latter, and decked the stair rail with it, plus some green garland and red lights to show it off. Enjoy the picture, or come in person and see the real thing some season.

KK Goes Crafty

I got some crazy idea to continue my crafty pursuits and make a wreath. After crusing through the Martha Stewart website, I picked this really cool red bead wreath that I considered sort of modern and hip. I saw some reviews of this project; some people loved it, some thought it cost too much (they didn't research any options, I'm sure), and some thought it was too time-consuming. I should have listened to some of those people.

I decided to do this project during Thanksgiving week, since I was not working in the day and Shaw was supposed to be working. He ended up getting my cold that I wore the whole week before, and ALSO took vacation that week. This little project took a lot of time, more than expected, but was really sort of fun. I don't think it would be a project for people with little kids in the house, due to all those straight pins, but medium-aged kids should be ok. It was originally for an 8 inch wreath, but I think I bought a 12 inch. That made it take... er.. last, a lot longer.

You first stick all your pins in some styrofoam and paint the tops with red nail polish. Then wrap the wreath styrofoam with some sort of red material (I used blanket binding, nice and satiny). Then start pinning all those beads on; I used 12mm, 10mm, 8mm and 6 mm in different materials. Some are opaque, some translucent, some ruby colored, and some just plain red. You also have to dip the pins in glue to get the beads to stay on. I will not even begin to count up the hours it took, but my fingertips can attest to their use.

I do love my little wreath! In it's current home, it is hung with the remainder of the blanket binding over the rail on our half wall at the top of the stairs. I'd love it, but I think a spot light on it would be a bit much. Don't you?

Bread Pudding

Have I put in the Bread Pudding in here? I don't think so. I don't know where I got the recipe. My only contribution to it is halving it most of the time. When I make the full recipe, it sort of bombs.

The bread matters, so make it good. I grabbed a loaf from the freezer, and I think it was some sort of Country French or something. Crust is good, too. I also find success with a hearty 9-Grain bread. The recipe is listed in full amounts and noted for halving.

Bread Puddings with Whiskey Butter Sauce

3 large eggs (Half Version: 1 egg + 1 white)
1 1/2 c milk (HV: 3/4 c)
1 T vanilla (HV: "mostly" 1 T)
7 slices Texas Toast, cubed (HV: 7 regular slices of non-Texas bread)
6 oz melted butter (HV: 3 oz)
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste (my addition!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream eggs and sugar together. Add milk, vanilla and spices and mix well. Add in bread cubes and mix, pressing until all is moist. Add melted butter and mix well.

Pour into a well-oiled 8x8 inch baking dish. (Half Version: I use the large muffin tin and it fills up all six cups.) Bake 45-60 minutes; mixture might rise like a souffle. When golden brown, remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes.

Whiskey Sauce

Use equal parts sugar and whiskey. Heat over the stove until completely dissolved. Off heat, whisk in several tablespoons of butter until yummy. Save the rest for cereal.