Simple Saturdays

How many of us have simple Saturdays? How many of us allow ourselves to snuggle deep under the covers and sleep late...or if you swing the other way, rise early and enjoy the sunrise with a warm cup of coffee? How many of us make time to read a book, craft, watch a movie, sit in the sun, soak in a tub, bake a cake, putter in the garden, or do whatever activity it is that makes your soul smile? 

If you are like me, your Saturdays are similar to any other day, full of lists of things that MUST.BE.DONE.NOW. There are always chores and errands and sometimes even work to rob us of a simple Saturday. And it does rob us. We need things to make our souls smile. We need a reprieve from the chores and errands and work. We need quiet happiness found in what is basically nothing at all. At least, I do. 

Today (Saturday) held a super full schedule for me. I jumped out of bed and dashed to the grocery store first thing this morning. It was there that asparagus caught my eye. It was there that the notion of claiming just a few moments of a simple Saturday took hold for me. Yes, I still had loads to do, and I wasn't going to drop the ball on that to-do list. I just wanted a few moments of quiet stillness with the sunlight dancing over a plate of roasted asparagus topped with a runny egg. Whole wheat toast on the side, and a mug of tea to wrap my fingers around as I gazed out the window. Simply the breakfast of a simple Saturday to reinforce me for the jam-packed day ahead. No, it wouldn't be a simple Saturday, but it could be a Simple Breakfast On My Plate.

Simple Breakfast

asparagus

olive oil

kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

egg(s)

Preheat oven to 400.
Toss asparagus with olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 5-10 minutes (depending on how many spears and how thick they are...thicker spears are better for roasting).
Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan drizzle a little olive oil and heat.
When the oil is hot, break egg into pan and immediately turn heat to low.
Cook slowly until the whites are completely set and the yolks begins to thicken, but are not hard.
Arrange roasted asparagus spears on a plate.
Slide egg on top of asparagus and break the yolk.
Season with fresh cracked black pepper, a sprinkling of salt, and a grating of Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy the simple moment of breakfast.

Muffin Top

I tried on my jeans today for the first time in a couple of months. I have been enjoying the summer in shorts, capris, skirts, and sundresses. Jeans have not been a part of my wardrobe. Maybe, they should have been. Maybe, I should have forced my thighs into the unforgiving denim a few times just as a means of checks and balances. I really wasn't happy as I sucked in my flab to zip up my favorite pair of jeans and revealed a blubbery muffin top. Gross.

The only muffin top that I want is on a real muffin, like a Spiced Zucchini and Walnut Muffin. Fragrant with cinnamon, dense with shredded zucchini, packed with the crunch of walnuts, these muffins are anything but gross. But, if I want to fit back into my jeans, I might have to pass on the Spiced Zucchini and Walnut Muffins On My Plate for awhile.

Spiced Zucchini and Walnut Muffins

3 eggs, well beaten

1 cup Canola oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups grated zucchini (peel if you must, but I don't)

3 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325.

Mix first 5 ingredients.

Sift together rest of ingredients.

Add to the first mixture.

Coat 24 muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. (I use an ice cream scoop.)

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until top springs back with light touch and pick comes out clean.  (24 muffins) 

Fridge Friday: Episode 8

This episode of Fridge Friday should probably be called Fridge Friday Flop. I don't know if I jinxed myself in my earlier rant where I claimed that I didn't mind if some of my menus didn't exactly turn out as I had planned, or if it is karma kicking me for making fun of a commenter that stated they have never "served a bad or mediocre dish" on Epicurious's How to Throw Terrible Dinner Parties. (I cried bullsh*t. We have ALL made something that wasn't up to par.)

Now here I am, facing the time crunch of Friday ticking away from me and staring disgustedly at a pan of what was supposed to be a Baked Omelet Roll which is hopelessly overcooked and not willing to roll at all. Fridge Friday Flop. I had the eggs, ham, and cheese in the fridge and thought that this recipe that I have made a thousand times would be a perfect addition to the blog. The eggs had other ideas.

Thankfully, I had just baked a gorgeously delicious pan of Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins last night. The remainder of the carton of blueberries is still in the fridge (second shelf, between the pickles and the cherries, under the strawberries), and I can save this Fridge Friday post by sharing a beautiful muffin.

The recipe is from The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. They tell us that they were looking for "rich, moist, and dainty muffins, not the big, bland, coarse muffins so popular today." Let me tell you, with the addition of sour cream, there is no flop here. They hit their mark. While I certainly loved the light as air Blueberry Cinnamon Crunch Muffins that I posted back in March, the heavy batter of these muffins is more cake-like (dare I say possibly even pound cake-like?). Rich and even more beautiful when brushed with a lemon syrup and dusted with lemon zest and sugar, I won't mind a Fridge Friday Flop On My Plate with Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins.

Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins

Muffins:

2 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 1/4 cups sour cream

1 1/2 cups blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

Muffins:
Heat oven to 350.
Grease muffins tin.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk egg in a second bowl until light-colored.
Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick.
Add melted butter in 2 or 3 addition, whisking to combine after each addition.
Add sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.
Add blueberries to dry ingredients and gently toss.
Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed.
Use ice cream scoop to drop batter into greased muffin tin.
Bake until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin come out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Allow to cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.
Lemon Glaze:
While muffins are baking, combine 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest and 1/2 cup sugar in shallow bowl.
Bring 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar to a simmer in a small sauce pan.
Simmer until mixture is thick and syrupy and reduced to about 4 tablespoons.
After baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, brush tops with glaze, then dip tops of muffins into lemon sugar. (12 muffins)