Cranberry Orange Muffins

I have a tendency to forget about myself, to push my own needs aside in favor of others. As a novice teacher, I arrive early to school and stay late, long after the last bell rings in the afternoon. I write up dozens of notes for my students on their work, knowing that most will go unread, but still marking the page in case a stray eye happens to catch the blue ink. I fall asleep in front of the computer in the evenings, typing up powerpoint presentations for the new courses I am teaching. I love my job and enjoy my students, but some days I wonder when I can set down the textbooks and pick up something I'd actually like to read.

I wonder when my time will start to become my own. 

I often forget how important it is to set aside time for myself. With a to-do list that never ends, I cross off one item right before starting the next. Owing to the advent of a new year, I am trying to work closer towards a balance. After my first week back in school from the holidays, I woke up late on the weekend. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I set out to make muffins. And again and again, just to make sure I got them right. There is a peacefulness in the kitchen, of mixing ingredients and knowing how they will come together. 

The first time I mixed up a batch of these muffins I used clementines, which was a mistake. Clementines are too tart to act as a foil against the cranberries. The second batch was good, but it wasn't sweet enough to make the pockets of cranberry taste pleasant. The last batch, however, was just right. The muffins are bright in flavor, sweet in nature, and the tart cranberries can truly shine. 

If these muffins can master this balance between extremes, perhaps there is hope for me too.

Cranberry orange muffins are a play on sweet and tart, and they perform this harmony so well. The batter is infused with orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice to give it a vibrant citrus flavor. The cranberries add a tartness, but it is a relief against the rest of the muffin. I enjoyed these muffins with a mug of black tea and an old episode of Friends. I encourage you to find a way to sit down, relax, and savor them as well.

One Year Ago: Double Chocolate Brownies
Two Years Ago: Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls, Rosemary Sandwich Bread, and Cranberry Flaxseed Muffins
Three Years Ago: How to Make Cake Flour, Cinnamon Sugar Cake, and Vanilla Bean Pudding
Four Years Ago:Fleur de Sel Caramels, Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies, and Chocolate Marbled Banana Bread

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Yields 1 dozen muffins

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Zest from 1 orange
1 large egg
1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (95 grams) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (90 grams) whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (180 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1 cup (110 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a muffin pan or line with baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, rub the zest and sugar between your fingers for several minutes to release the oils. The sugar should become fragrant. Beat in the egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually fold in the flours, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the orange juice until uniform.  Mix in the cranberries.

Divide batter evenly between baking cups and sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Coconut Almond Quinoa

A new year brings a fresh outlook and a clean slate. The last few years I have wavered in my thoughts toward resolutions. I have made them (and kept them), made them (and ignored them), and refused to make them in the first place. Last year, while buried deeply in work and stress, the prospect of trying to improve anything about myself—when I could hardly stay afloat to begin with—seemed almost laughable. As we enter into 2015, I feel quite similar to last year: too tired to think up a list of resolutions. I know that I should be thinking positively, taking time to imagine a better self, but I'm writing this after an eleven hour work day and, with a pile of work to still sift through before bed, I'm struggling. 

Instead of putting even more pressure on myself by resolving to cook healthy meals or to take advantage of the gym membership I have been paying for (but not using) the last three months, I am going to switch it up and resolve to teach myself a few new tricks.

While baking comes quite naturally to me, cooking is entirely something else. Seasoning dishes, cooking meat, or dreaming up new dishes are not tasks I feel comfortable with (nor am I good at any of them). For this reason, I want to learn to truss and roast a proper chicken. I intend to go back to old episodes of Julia Child's The French Chef and let her show me the way.

I have never made a batch of perfect macarons on my own. After buying four pounds of almond flour, this will change.

As I have said a dozen times before (and I will say a dozen times more), I adore reading. Earlier this year, without space for a bookcase, I bought a Kindle to encourage myself to delve into the books again. While I didn't think I would enjoy a digital reader, I surprised myself by loving everything about it. This year I want to make time to read more books, even if it is just setting aside a few minutes before bed. 

And, as always, find the inspiration to keep baking.

For the past few years, I make a sweetened quinoa for breakfast each morning, finding it a filling and satisfying way to begin the day. With a new year upon us, I thought a new recipe of an old favorite seemed suitable. The quinoa cooks in coconut milk, becoming creamy and subtly flavored. When cooked, almond butter is added for a nutty undertone and maple syrup is swirled for sweetness. A topping of chopped almonds and toasted coconut complete the ensemble. Best of all, this makes a large batch, which can be heated for breakfast throughout the week.

One Year Ago: Almond Date Banana Smoothie
Two Years Ago: Candy Cane Cupcakes, Chocolate (Dairy-Free) Ice Cream, Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal, and Raspberry White Chocolate Scones
Three Years Ago: Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Green Tea Coconut Ice Cream, and Chocolate Lavender Cupcakes
Four Years Ago: Peppermint Ice Cream, Banana Cinnamon Muffins, Vanilla Pear Milk, and Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Coconut Almond Quinoa

Yields 3-4 servings

14 ounces (414 ml) full-fat or light canned coconut milk
1 cup (170 grams) quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons almond butter
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (adjust to personal sweetness)
Chopped almonds
Toasted coconut flakes
Splash of soy or almond milk

In a large saucepan, stir together quinoa and coconut milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in almond butter and maple syrup, adjusting for personal sweetness. 

Divide evenly between 3-4 bowls and top with chopped almonds and toasted coconut flakes. Add a splash of soy or almond milk. 

To store, quinoa can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. Reheat in the microwave, add a splash of milk, and it can be made as a quick weekday breakfast.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Before Thanksgiving arrived, I was already anticipating Christmas. I had a queue of holiday movies prepared and had ordered my first gingerbread mocha of the season at the local coffee shop. Each day was meticulously checked off the calendar, the 25th circled with a black sharpie as the prize. However, what I didn't anticipate was that after Thanksgiving passed, so would my excitement for Christmas.

I fell back into the everyday routines, and the holiday faded from the forefront into the back of my mind.

Though I set up a tiny tree in my apartment, the holiday feeling didn't hold. I spent the next few weeks bundled up in my small town, doing all of my Christmas shopping online instead of venturing out to the packed malls. Even the car radio didn't get me in the spirit, refusing to pick up any stations playing holiday music. It was that "special time of year," but it didn't feel like it yet, as least not to me.

So, with a week before Christmas, I gave myself an intervention.

After the fiasco with baking last weekend, it felt right to give sugar cookies a try again. For the last few years, I've set aside a day just for myself, to bake and decorate while watching an endless stream of cheesy holiday movies. With a pastry bag in hand, the tales of holidays gone awry, of single mothers finding love, of corporate employees realizing family is most important, of women falling in love (with Santa), of Christmas wishes coming true, feel like the holiday season to me. 

Yesterday I set aside this time for myself. After heading to bed, with a kitchen counter full of drying cookies and a heart full of holiday buzz, I want to say mission accomplished.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies are a delicious alternative to the traditional sugar cookie. The base is a standard sugar cookie with cocoa powder to give it a deep chocolate flavor. Use a high quality cocoa powder for the best character. As with my classic recipe, these cookies bake up flat, providing a smooth surface for decorating, and stay soft for several days. The cookies also freeze well so they can be prepared days or several weeks in advance.

One Year Ago: Peppermint Marshmallows and Christmas Sugar Cookies
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Pomegranate Tart, Almond Cardamom Rolls, Red Wine Chocolate Truffles, and Gingerbread Cookies
Three Years Ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Granola Bars, Pumpkin Panna Cotta, Honey Cookies, and Chocolate Clementine Cupcakes
Four Years Ago: Pear Chips, Candy Striped Meringues, Chocolate Truffles, and Gingerbread Cheesecake

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Yields 2-3 dozen, depending on size of the cookie

3/4 cup (170 grams) butter
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (285 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (43 grams) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour to firm up the dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat for best cookie removal.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out the cookies using cookie cutters (follow these tips for the best cookies). The dough that is not being handled should be kept refrigerated. Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie. Cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.