Rhubarb Ginger Muffins

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Rhubarb Ginger Muffins

Rhubarb Ginger Muffins Rhubarb Ginger Muffins

This past weekend was spent packing up my belongings. Taking clothing out of the closet, folding it in baskets, and dearly hoping that it doesn't wrinkle. Pulling the baking supplies off the shelves, wrapping them in layers of paper towels and coffee filters, and placing them in boxes marked with the word glass in thick black marker. I wondered what's important enough to bring along or trivial enough to leave behind. I wondered if I've chosen correctly. It's strange to see my life packed up into cardboard boxes (and stranger still to see them fit neatly into the back of my car).

It's moving day.

Rhubarb Ginger Muffins

Moving has always been such a bittersweet process for me. It's one of life's true adventures. New cities, new countries, new stories, and new friends are all out there, waiting to be discovered. The thought is exhilarating enough for the butterflies to awaken and whirl and twirl around my stomach. I'm attracted to the idea of moving, of cutting ties and embracing something fresh with open arms. The spirit of moving is looking the unknown in the eye, shaking his hand, and greeting him with a hello.

By the same token, moving is hard. I don't want to have to say goodbye to the place I call home, to the city I've grown familiar with, or to the people I love. Though I wish all my goodbyes could be see you later's, the truth is that sometimes they aren't. People or places get left behind; they fade away into oblivion, into memories, despite best efforts to clutch tightly onto them. I've moved a dozen times in the last five years. I've left so many things behind.

Rhubarb Ginger Muffins

This time I haven't moved very far—only half a state and three hours away. For the first time in my life, I'm living alone. My belongings are unpacked, finding refuge in closets and cupboards. I feel optimistic. My adventure no longer sits on the horizon, to be gazed at with all the longing emotion of a fading sun. It's here and now. It's today.

As I sit here on this new-to-me couch, with my feet propped up on a borrowed coffee table, I wonder how long it will take for this new place to become home.

Rhubarb Ginger Muffins

These Rhubarb Ginger Muffins were a whim on a Tuesday afternoon. Whole wheat ginger muffins meet a wonderfully tart rhubarb and lemon jam, blending bold flavors seamlessly. Just before baking, the muffin batter is topped with a spoonful of jam. Due to the weight, the jam falls directly into the center of the muffin while baking, making these muffins self-filling and giving them an unique appearance. I was surprised by how taken I was with these muffins; they easily fall into my nearest and dearest favorites.

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Chocolate Toffee Scones

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Chocolate Toffee Scones

Chocolate Toffee Scones

There is a brunch served in a nearby restaurant that I dream about on Sunday mornings. I use the term "nearby" loosely—it is a three hour North Dakota drive away, but I find myself there more often than you'd think. I always eat too much, as one does when faced with a buffet line of dozens of favorite brunch delicacies. There are the scones, the eggs Benedict, the biscuits and gravy, and the pasta dishes (of which I make sure to sample at least once).

However, the french toast is the reason I keep coming back.

Chocolate Toffee Scones

Like an ice cream sundae bar lined with the best toppings, so does this restaurant treat their french toast. Oreos, nuts, chocolate shavings, and crumbled heath bars accompany the crushed strawberries, the jellied blueberries, and the classic maple syrup. It's a brunch lover's dream come to fruition. And mine, all mine, for the taking.

This brunch is where I discovered my true love for toffee. Atop a hot piece of french toast drowned in maple syrup, I crumbled these chocolate toffee pieces, allowing the chocolate to melt and pool over the top of the french toast while the toffee retained its textured crunch. Though I considered this my "dessert," it was never rare to go back for seconds or thirds of this sweet, indulgent treat.

As long as I ignored the sidelong glances of my concerned, horrified companions, nothing would stand between me and my coveted french toast.

Chocolate Toffee Scones

Since discovering my weakness for chocolate and toffee, I've found myself imagining all of the terrifically wicked ways to use it in every day baking. As an homage to the toffee-covered french toast that started this madness, I thought scones would be a fitting first start. We can save my other toffee-covered fantasies for later.

A decadent breakfast every now and then never hurts anybody, right?

Chocolate Toffee Scones

These Chocolate Toffee Scones are subtle, kind, and never too sweet. The sweetness comes from the multitude of chocolate toffee pieces scattered throughout the delicate scone. Never to be outdone, I dipped the bottoms of the scones in a rich chocolate glaze to give an added touch of chocolate. These are delicious with a cup of coffee for an afternoon snack, but if you choose to eat them for breakfast with a cup of tea I won't send a judging glance your way.

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Roasted Pepper Feta Scones

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Roasted Pepper Feta Scones

Roasted Pepper Feta Scones

When I worked in a small bakery, my first responsibility of the day was to fill the pastry case with hot, freshly baked scones. In the darkness of the morning hours, scones were simple enough for my tired mind to understand. Flour, butter, and baking powder—the essentials—were assembled at my right hand. The hum of the mixer accompanied by my practiced motion of tossing in the ingredients became the melody to the break of day.

Once in the case, there was only a brief moment of respite before moving onto the next task.

Roasted Pepper Feta Scones Roasted Pepper Feta Scones

Though the scones were simple enough of a task to my weary mind, I quickly grew tired of them. I resented the spicy peach scones for taking so much longer to assemble. The raspberry white chocolate tested my patience when the raspberries often gave the dough too much moisture (and the scones would bake up as flat as a pancake). The blueberry became a disappointment whenever the bright blueberry color would bleed throughout the batter instead of staying intact.

These scones became my labor of love. I worked hard to produce consistent scones, despite each varieties' quirks. On those mornings when I wasn't ready to face a fight with raspberry white chocolate scones (again), I started inventing my own flavors, with the ingredients hiding around the bakery. Apple cinnamon, white chocolate mocha cappuccino, and chocolate mint became hits among the regulars. These scones were the one item at the bakery I could truly call my own.

Roasted Pepper Feta Scones

Nevertheless, when my time at the bakery came to a close, I was in no hurry to whip up another batch of scones any time soon. After making thousands of scones by hand (and nibbling on too many stale scones destined for the trash), I think I've had my fair share for the next few months (or, to be honest, years).

However, since I rarely made savory scones at the bakery, they still intrigue me. Just about anything could end up in a savory scone—how was anyone supposed to choose? After a little creative thinking (and a craving for roasted bell peppers), these Roasted Pepper Feta Scones were born. Finally a scone that isn't just for breakfast!

Roasted Pepper Feta Scones

Roasted Pepper Feta Scones are buttery, light, and flavorful. Featuring roasted peppers, feta cheese, and green onion, these three flavors come together to make a scone that is as welcome at lunch time as breakfast. You may roast the bell peppers yourself or, for convenience, pick up a jar of roasted peppers at the local market. These tips for making mile-high, flaky biscuits also apply to making scones: check them out!

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