Strange doings

Carrot Muffins

are made.


Makes 8 muffins (with large tops)

Ingredients:
For the topping
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons spelt flour
2 tablespoons oat bran
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 tablespoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
For the muffins
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup regular or low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
Directions:

For the topping: Combine the flour, oat bran, sugars and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter, and use your fingers to work the mixture to the consistency of coarse cornmeal. The faster you work, the more solid the butter will remain.

For the muffins: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a little butter to grease alternating muffin wells in a 12-muffin pan (see headnote).

Sift together the flours, oat bran, sugars, allspice, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon into a mixing bowl, pouring into the bowl any grain or other ingredients that remain in the sifter. Add the carrots and stir to coat.

Whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined. Use a spatula to incorporate the butter mixture into the flour mixture.

Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to portion the batter evenly among the 8 prepared muffin wells. The batter should be slightly mounded. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the mounds of batter and press it into the batter slightly. Bake on the middle rack for 32 to 35 minutes; the muffins should smell nutty and the bottoms should be golden brown (twist one out to check).

Place the muffin pan on top of the stove and gently twist out the muffins, letting them cool on their sides halfway out of their individual wells; that will help keep them from becoming soggy.

Serve warm.

Last Fri I met Dennis, coming from Lodi about 2 hrs. away/ He had to get up at 3 male a reservation on the bis to Stockton, then take BART to Fremont. I met him about 8 and we went to breakfast. Well despite pics. there seem to be a lot of things I missed in our phone calls. He was around 65, I knew that. He was around 190. But, I didn't know he used to be 500 plus pounds and had lost the weight with some thing that had a hole in hi something so in having a waffle he had to have it well done so it wouldn't plug the hole.
Then he said in passing he didn't stand or kneel too much but when he told me he would have a walker I was surprised. His knees are bad. He also has to have shoes made and support hose for his feet from when he had diabetes. Yikes. He worked for 30 yrs in a box factory. Was married for 30 years and his wife also 300 lbs or so passed.
He plays Bridger with me. i enjoy that. He is nice. He brought be chocolates, a hummingbird necklace and lotion, powder and other kit. I got the idea they had been his wife's. But it was thoughtful. Can't see doing that again. I dropped him at BART and he went home. I stopped for Chinese and Indian on the way home.

On Sat i had a 3rd date w Ricardo. We went for dinner, take out so I could get some of the candies walnut prawns and feed him my Indian too hot food: samosas, chicken tika, nan, rice and lentils. Latin's must have an aesptos mouth and stomach. I like mild Indian food I can't take anything too hot, Chinese or Thai too. We watched a movie. He is the size of dad and I am not really attracted to him. I forced myself to go out a 2nd time with him to be nice and this time was on the clear condition that he understood I was seeing other people and that's it. There was a concert downtown at SJSU near the Victorian he lives in downtown.

On Sunday, I saw my sweet Patrick. This was also our 2rd date and I have another tomorrow. He is 40 and a serious biker and skateboarder, student; and parties hard, drinks a lot but not with me and brings a totally different experience my way and energy. We giggle and have a blast.

Today I met a fellow for lunch. I don't know if I mentioned that I ask to see ID from all these people and tell them I will and why. I send the info off to a friend so she knows where I am and who I'm with. If that is not OK. It's a deal breaker. If I go anywhere else I drive and dive the new location as an update. So today I met a 43 y.o. Mexican fellow had a nice drink at Chevy's and left. He walked me to the car and suggested going to my house. I said I didn't know him well enough and asked him to show me id but then he wasn't comfortable having me write it down so I said OK thanked him and walked away.

Om Fri I have another date with John Hammer, Sat with a new fellow and many more in the "pipeline", people to meet and greet.

Marilyn says pick the cream, dump the others like Dennis and Ricardo. I'm amazed there is so much interest to women my age with curves.

Emergency unemployment kicked in this last week.

Happy wedding Anniversary to Bob and Pat.