Amazingly Wonderful Blackberry Muffins

Ok, I know it's been awhile since I have posted anything about what’s been going on around here. But seriously do you really want to hear about working ground, dragging anhydrous tanks, planting corn and all the other crazy things that have been going on around this busy farm this past week??? OK, so maybe you do (I hope) and you will soon, but right now it's time for another cooking lesion. It's my new favorite thing to have for breakfast or actually when ever. They are these yummy, delicious, make your head spin blackberry muffins.

So let’s get started cause I am hungry and would like to eat!

OK, here's the line up: Flour, Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Buttermilk (or milk), Baking Soda, Blackberries. Pretty basic ingredients, besides the blackberries and buttermilk but we will cover those later.

Ok, so to tell the truth I took the basic batter recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. In it she has this amazingly wonderful recipe for these Marmalade Muffins. I first made a batch of them and boy are they good. I gave one of these ooey-gooey delicious muffins to my wonderful hubby.

Well he took one bit and then proceeded to tell me 'they would be a lot better without the orange stuff.'

What!?!?! That "orange stuff" is what made them so delicious.

So since my farmer husband only likes "farm like" (whatever that means) food I started thinking about what I could do to make something he might enjoy. Since I really liked the batter of the marmalade muffins, I thought how about making another batch and make some blueberry muffins (cause I had a bag of them in the freezer that I needed to use up).

While making them I thought "Hey, how about putting some blackberries in there?!?! I bet that might be good too." (After all I am, what Caleb would say, addicted to blackberries. They could be fixed just about any way you would think and I would just devour them.)

So, while making the blueberry batch I pulled a little batter out and threw in some good ol' blackberries. After they were done cooking, I had to try the blackberry ones right away and they were amazing....so much better than the blueberry ones. And to make it even better, Caleb loved them too! So since he liked them soo much I thought I would share this wonderfulness with all of you to enjoy as well, so here we go.

First preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Now cream together 2 sticks of butter (softened) and 1 cup sugar in a mixing bowl.

Next, crack in two eggs and mix until well combined

Now on a sheet of waxed paper, sift the 2 cups of flour.

FYI: I really hate this sifter and would rather have the old school sifter, but I have this one and I will have to live with it until I find the one I want at a garage sale or thrift store! There you have it! Now I will stop whining and get back to cooking.

Now, dump your sifted flour into the mixing bowl without making a mess....haha yea right, I’m the queen of making messes!

Gently stir the mixture using as few strokes as possible to keep the muffins from getting tough.

Now the recipe book calls for 1 cup of buttermilk, but I don't have any buttermilk so I use plane and simple whole milk and they still tasted wonderful.

Now combine 1 cup of milk / buttermilk add 1 tsp of baking soda in a small measuring cup or bowl.

Add the milk mixture to the muffin batter and mix just till combined.

Now it's time for the blackberries and this part I do by hand....well actually I use a spatula or a spoon and not really my hands.

Now throw about 2 cups of blackberries into the batter...

...and mix.

Now spoon the batter into the muffin tin....about two-thirds or so full. You can either put paper liners down, silicon liners, or nothing....if you use nothing make sure to grease the muffin tins.

Now it's time for the crunchy, yummy topping that makes these even better.

Now in most circumstances I use the good stuff, real butter, but for the topping I use margarine cause it makes a crunchier topping.

So in a small bowl add about one tablespoon of margarine and add 3-4 tablespoons of sugar. Then with a fork, cut it all together.

It will look like this when it's ready. Some times you might have to add some more sugar or butter to get it just right.

Now sprinkle some of this buttery - sugary goodness right on top of each muffin.

When they are done this is what they will look like. Let them cool....but not too much cause when they are still warm they are the best. They will just melt in your mouth. So enjoy them with a tall glass of milk.

Now let's talk about options....

I have used blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and they are all wonderful. With the strawberries I cut them into small little chunks...

…and mix them just like the blackberries.

Some other thoughts of what might be good would be raspberries, peaches, maybe even mangos, but I don't think my hubby would go for that. Just use your imagination.

As for the orange marmalade muffins instead of fruit add in the zest of two oranges. While the muffins are cooking juice the oranges you just stole the zest from and mix the juice with 1 cup of brown sugar. Once the muffins are finished spoon this gooieness onto each of the muffins and let it soak in. These are marvelous!

Bake for 18-23 minutes or until light brown one top. Make sure to watch that they don't get too brown.


Amazingly Wonderful Blackberry Muffins


Muffin Ingredients

2 - sticks butter (softened)
1 - cup sugar
2 - large eggs
2 - cups all-purpose flour
1 - cup buttermilk / milk
1 - teaspoon baking soda
2 - cups (1 pint) blackberries (or fruit of choice)

Topping

1 - tablespoon margarine
3 to 4 - tablespoons sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and mix until well combined. Sift flour onto sheet of waxed paper and pour into mixing bowl. Gently stir using as few strokes as possible, so muffins aren't tough. Stir in blackberries (or fruit of choice). Spoon into lightly greased muffin tins and fill about two-thirds full.

For the topping fork together margarine and sugar.

Sprinkle topping on each. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, until lightly brown.

Cool, then enjoy.

Lots of Love
Janet