Tapped Out: Maple-Pecan Breakfast Muffins

The end of Winter and the beginning of Spring mark the season for maple sugaring. Maple sap runs best when the temperatures are above freezing during the day, but still fall below freezing at night. During this time, sugar maple trees are tapped and the watery liquid collected in buckets, after which it is boiled down into the viscous, distinctively smokey natural sweetener we all love. Since maple syrup is so firmly linked to breakfast, I see no reason to try and alter that perception—although you can certainly enjoy these muffins any time of day!

Maple-Pecan Breakfast Muffins

Dry ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans, divided

Wet ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners; set aside.

Stir flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup of the pecans together in a small bowl. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, then mix in maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Blend in half of the dry ingredients, stir in the milk, then add the remainder of the dry ingredients and combine until just smooth. Divide evenly among the liners (about 2/3 full each). Sprinkle tops with remaining 1/4 cup pecans and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: These muffins mix together quickly, and the simple flavors of the maple and pecans really shine through. If you prefer, substitute another kind of nut for the pecans, or leave them out altogether. I'd love to know how they would taste if you substituted cooked, crumbled bacon for the nuts—let me know if you try it!

>o<

Well-Seasoned: Homemade Seasoned Salt

I had an idea to make my own seasoned salt, only a simpler version of what you might find pre-made at the store. I didn't want to use a flotilla of ingredients, either, but just a few well-chosen ones that would make an intensely savory, all-purpose seasoning. I scoured recipes online, paying close attention to the main ingredients in each, as well as the proportions used. I narrowed my selections down, and created this version:

Seasoned Salt

Ingredients:
1 part kosher salt
1/2 part celery seed
1/4 part sweet paprika
1/4 part dried thyme

Stir all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Notes: This really IS intensely savory, and pairs well with naturally sweet foods, like root vegetables and pork. Of course, it's great with chicken and fish, too! As with my other mixes, this makes a great host/hostess gift on its own, or as part of a gift basket with other foodie items. If you like other flavors in your seasoned salt, use this as a base and create your own personalized blend by adding your favorite herbs and spices.

>o<

The Best Laid Plans

I first saw this recipe for a cream cheese and lemon pound cake a few years ago, and I knew I had to make it someday. I was even able to locate the recipe again after all that time, and when I finally had the requisite ingredients, I set to work. I only wanted to take a tiny, insignificant little detour—cut the recipe in half and make just enough batter to fill a 12-cup muffin tin, yielding a dozen portable pound cakelets. It sounded like a plan! I carefully noted the smaller amount of each ingredient next to the original, and started mixing:

Beaten, not stirred.

I normally mix things by hand, but I knew this type of cake required machinery to get the right consistency. Things were looking fluffy and light, and when the sugar was fully incorporated, I started folding in the rest of the ingredients, alternating the dry with the wet as instructed. The batter looked beautiful and tasted divine, except...except it wasn't as thick as I had expected, and there was a LOT more of it.

And then I realized.

Because even though I had noted the proper amount of milk for my half-recipe, I had measured out the WHOLE amount. Twice as much as I needed for my cakelets. Yet the batter still looked good, so I quickly buttered a 9 x 13 inch pan and got the cake in the oven. It rose nicely, browned evenly along the edges, and when a toothpick came out clean, I removed it and let it cool. The once beautiful, fluffy cake that came out of the oven then sunk utterly and completely - but that was just cosmetic, and I was sure it would taste fine. Maybe I could still make a recipe from it, even post it on the blog as intended, with suggestions for toppings or pairing it with fresh berries. It would all turn out okay.

I cut myself a piece the next day. The cake was dense, heavy, and had an odd texture. And though it tasted fine, it seemed somehow uncooked, and sat in my stomach like a pile of wet laundry. It was not okay. I could not let anyone else eat this. I didn't even want to toss it outside to the critters for fear of upsetting their little tummies. So I did the thing I hate the most: I THREW IT AWAY. I was sad, disappointed, and more than a little unnerved by the waste of ingredients.

I still want to make this pound cake. I still want to make it into little cakelets, perhaps with a fresh berry compote on the side, and post it here for everyone to enjoy. It still sounds like a plan! Only it may be a while until I'm ready to make the attempt again :-)

>o<