Mmmm...Muffins

The last couple of weeks have been crazy. I'm taking a class called Managerial Decision Making. I had no idea when I started the class that it was all about statistics...a subject that I haven't touched since undergrad. It has been more of a challenge than my other MBA classes. I'm only halfway through! The next three weeks will be tough.

Les has also been really busy with his band. They have taken to practicing in my dining room, which most of the time I don't mind. But they have a gig this weekend...and that means they will be here a lot this week. Last night...tonight...and Friday. Usually I make dinner for them but I got off the hook tonight because the drummer's wife offered to take care of dinner. I am so glad! I had no idea what to make. I wasn't planning on doing that much cooking this week.

Once I found out that I wasn't responsible for dinner I felt inspired to bake (even though I really should have been studying). I found a few recipes last week that I've been wanting to try. Today I decided to try Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins. They were soooooo good! Very hearty. I was actually pretty full after eating just one. I used my last two blood oranges that I bought at the local market on Friday.


Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins
From Pinch My Salt

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 eggs - lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees; grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. Zest and juice 2 or 3 medium oranges, measure out juice and zest; set aside. Chop and measure walnuts; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, flax seed meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Using a wire whisk, blend ingredients together very well. This is your dry mixture. Set it aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine beaten eggs, buttermilk, orange juice and zest, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk together well. This is your wet mixture.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until all the flour has been incorporated. Make sure to scrape up all the flour from the bottom of the bowl as you are mixing. Once you no longer see any pockets of flour remaining, gently fold in the walnuts.
5. Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup almost to the top. Divide any remaining batter between the cups so that they are somewhat equal. Put the muffins in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes. Check to see if they are done by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are done. If not, let the muffins bake an additional 2 minutes and check again. When muffins are done, let cool on a wire rack for five minutes then remove muffins from pan and let cool completely on the wire rack.

Now that I have breakfast taken care of for the next few days I best be getting back to my statistics book...ugh.