More baking....less posting

I am not completely sure why I decided to make a baking blog... (well, I do...but that's a longer story)... because I don't like to write. I have a private journal that I have for three years and still have at least a third of it left. I also have worked on any of the scholarly articles I want to get published. Meanwhile, my writer husband goes through 3 journals a year, and has already written 2 scholarly articles before this year is even halfway through.

So, for some reason, I thought I would be the kind of person who regularly baked and then wrote intriguing and funny and poignant posts about how baking is related to life. Yeah...that did not happen.

The good thing is that the people who are most likely reading this are people who know and love me already, and will forgive me this lack.

Here is what I have been baking lately (and not writing about)...

1. Cranberry scones and muffins (because it was the end of the semester and the 2 lb bag of cranberries in our freezer that needed used)

The little guy next to the yummy treats is Flat Stanley, a school project visiting from my adorable nephew Jesse....

2. Blueberry pie (because there were fresh local blueberries at the farm stand and the idea of blueberry pie with ice cream made my mouth water)

It was just as awesome as I imagined it!

3. Rhubarb muffins (because I love rhubarb after discovering it last year)

 The before and after. I had to make these twice, because Will was upset that I ate most of the first batch and he did not get enough of them.

I also made some strawberry rhubarb jam that is pretty darn good too!


And here are the recipes:

1. Cranberry scones - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cranberry-orange-scones-recipe/index.html (I didn't make the icing part because we were out of powdered sugar).

2. Blueberry pie - I used my own crust recipe (see apple pie post)... but this filling... http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/blueberry_pie/

3. Rhubarb muffins - from the Simply in Season cookbook

2.5 cups of flour (I used half all-purpose and half whole wheat cake flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Mix together

1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (I used yogurt)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
2 tsps vanilla
Mix together and the combine with dry ingredients until just moistened

1.5 cups diced rhubarb
(you can also add nuts if wanted, but neither Will nor I like nuts in baked goods)
Mix in and fill in greased muffin pan

1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp flour
Mix together and drizzle on top of muffins

Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes

So, that's it. I at least wrote something... tune back in a few months from now for an update!