Hello muffin tin. I missed you.
We are home now. And sometimes, there really is no place like it. Home.
As much as I loved our getaway, I am at a place (pun intended) in my life where I do love my home. Not just (or even so much) the physical bones of the house, but the way it feels when I am in it. The feeling I get when I drive up. The way it feels when I walk through the mud room and drop my stuff. I love the way the light flows through my kitchen. Its feels like a home.
My home. My family home.
And I kinda missed it.
To be crystal clear, the house itself (like yours truly) is a work in progress for sure. I assure you this place no dream home lottery winner. Nor even my "dream" home for that matter. Its old, its dated, there is wallpaper in 2 bathrooms and (ugh) carpet in another. Oh and not the good kind of wallpaper that is all back in style again...the not good kind circa 1985. The stairs creak, the yard needs work, the carpet needs replacing. We Professionals have done some updates - the kitchen, some paint, some flooring. Its coming together but no where near "finished".
But I still love it.
I think what it is is (too many is's?) we feel pretty certain this will be the house our son grows up in. He will go to the elementary school down the block. Ride his bike to the 7/11 for slurpees. And (god help me) one day drive out of this driveway. There is something settling and comforting in those visions to me, that makes this now, our home.
Sometimes I feel rushed to get it picture perfect and other times I find myself at peace with its imperfections. I know I prefer the latter and would like to stomp out the former. What's the rush? I remind myself I grew up in a warm and happy home that never had its kitchen remodelled or new furniture. And the reason I have to remind myself of this is because it didn't matter to me as a child.
Its not what I remember.
I was perfectly happy in the places we called home as a family and don't recall ever wishing mom and dad would, for the love of god, upgrade those countertops to granite.
That brings us back to my muffin tin. If you recall, I am not a baker.
But I not only missed my home, surprisingly I missed my muffin tin. It was nice to bake again.
These muffins were were a heavier cake version. The coconut flour adds not only nice flavour but a big dose of extra fibre. They look a little overdone but I figure just like with meat, brown = flavour. Little liked them (but he likes everything) and Mr. sixtyone45 popped back a couple so in our house that is a successful recipe.
Its great to be home and I am going to keep on baking so when my son is older....
...he'll remember muffins and not wallpaper in the bathrooms.
Strawberry & Blueberry Coconut Cake Muffins with Lemon Glaze
1 cup pastry flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 sugar
1 T. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs beaten
1 cup coconut or almond milk
2 T. butter, melted
1 T. vanilla
2 T. organic raw blue agave syrup
Fresh Strawberries and/or Blueberries to Top
For the glaze...
1/2 confectioners sugar
2 T. Lemon Juice
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl sift dry ingredients.
3. In a second, smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients.
4. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined.
5. Scoop into paper lined muffin cups
6. Place a few blueberries or one half strawberry on top of each muffin.
7. Bake for 12-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. For the glaze, combine the confectioners sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over cooled muffins.
