soda pop

Yeah, I bought one last night. I only drank a fourth of it, but still it's sort of a betrayal to my "no pop" policy (which is usually in effect and almost never subverted unless mixed drinks {or long, sleepy road-trips} are involved). But I also sort of wanted a hamburger last night, and I didn't end up with one of those. So, good job, brain, for keeping that craving at bay.

No paper wrappers on these.

My intention today was to post a scrumptious little muffin recipe from my bosom buddy, Maya (of 

Maya and Zoey go to Green Bluff fame). And I'm
still going to do that, but first I'm taking a mini-
detour to mention that fact that it is now October 1st, and I love Halloween.

I recently found myself wandering the seasonal display aisles in JoAnn's Fabrics, almost buying these Martha Stewart blood spatter cupcake wrappers, which were 25% off. (If you're smart,
you'll go there now.) I cannot promise that these will not be in my pantry (OK, the cupboard above my oven) before the end of the month. I had to draw the line at the little 3-piece coffin boxes that were 30%.
I picked them up. I put them down. It was a battle between the 15-21 year-old Christine (1995-2001) and the 30-year old Christine (present day). Awful. Finally the present day me defeated the past me--the winning argument was this: "What exactly will you do with these? Paint them black and put buttons in them? Bobby pins? Your pocket knife collection? Not good enough. Put them back on the shelf."



You've got red on you.

The bloodier, the better.






The 30-year old Christine is not much fun at all. But I did give in when I saw these glittery blood splatter stickers (also Martha Stewart--her team knows what's up) and wanted, wanted, wanted them. See, my brain knows when to say no (hamburgers) and when to say yes (glitter blood splat stickers). They're much cooler in person. Just wait until you get one on a postcard--you'll see.




OK, MUFFINS.

Maya's Blackberry Muffins of Delight

This is my handwriting. Maya's is nicer. Much nicer.

Dry Ingredients
1 2/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
(I added a little nutmeg. I mean: why not?)


Wet Ingredients
1 egg
1/3 cup applesauce
1 cup milk (I used soy milk.)
(I added a little vanilla too. Have at it.)


1 cup blackberries

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin. Paper wrappers won't work here--they'll stick to your muffins. And you'll want to eat all of these puppies.

Yup, Green Bluff berries from Knapp's.

Mix together the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls.  (I should probably mention that I didn't have applesauce, but I did have some very ripe pears. So I mashed those up. Worked like a charm. And what else would I have done with slightly mushy pears?)

Maya makes a little well in the dry ingredients and adds the wet to that. (I forgot about that part, but everything turned out OK.) Mix it all up, but hold off on the blackberries for a second. Maya recommends mixing the blackberries in after everything else. I agree. Also, mix gently. Fold. Caress the blackberries into your batter. You want some of them whole, right? You do.

They'll bake for 25 minutes. You pull them out of the oven and eat one immediately. Them's the rules, people.




Even delicious upside-down.

P.S. When I made a grilled cheese sandwich tonight, I also drank some more of that Coke. I stood in the kitchen and drank like another fourth of it in the light of the open fridge door. It seemed right somehow. Then I had a beer with that grilled cheese. Also right. Always right. Just thought you should know.