I Hope You're Not too Hungry...

I am dedicating today's post to my obsession with baking things in Muffin Pans.  Which is funny because I used to HATE baking.  Oh, how things change.  Where to begin?  Well, first, let me just say, if you are AT ALL interested in baking OR cooking, stop reading this blog immediately, and join Pinterest.   I got ALMOST all of my recipes and muffin-pan inspiration from things I found there.

First things first--something that has changed my life.  Yes, it involves a muffin pan.  So like, I'm PRETTY terrible at making pancakes.  (Husband is PHENOMENAL at it, one of his many, many talents).  But even when I stay away from pancake-making, there is still the issue of all different sizes, and the FIRST one that is always cold by the time you are ready to chow down.  So I'm on Pinterest one day, and I spy...what we've dubbed...PUFFINS!!  YA'LL.  You mix up your pancake mix, and you put whatever you want in it (think vanilla extract, fruit, chocolate chips, bacon, ANYTHING) and then you put the batter in a lightly greased muffin pan.  Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes.  VIOLA!  Perfectly portioned, STEAMING hot, delicious pancake muffins (thus, puffins).  Drown those suckers in syrup and oh sweet little tiny baby Jesus, YUM.

Behold, the Blueberry Puffin Goodness

Then of course, there are more traditional items, like CUPCAKES.  The only cupcakes I've ventured to bake thus-far have happened to involve alcohol, and a special, special man.  Husband's favorite beer is Blue Moon, so it obviously follows that when I saw a recipe for Blue Moon cupcakes, I had to make them for him.  For Valentine's Day.  I was skeptical, but ya'll, these suckers were SO tasty.  As my wise, baking sage of a friend Andrea said, the carbonation in the beer made for a VERY fluffy cake.

Orange-y, Blue Moon-y, Cream Cheesy-ness

But wait, there is another special man I baked alcoholic cupcakes for!  My brother.  His birthday is St. Patrick's Day, so I made Bailey's cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream.  Ho-lee crapppp.  They were so good.  And I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think I might have a future in food photography.

Sprinkles make everything better.  Am I right?!

But alas, I've PROBABLY spent most of my time with my muffin pans making actual muffins.  (I know...boring, right?)  But I just love them!  Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins, Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal Muffins, Pistachio Chai Muffins...I just can't stop.  My biggest regret in life is that I didn't snap a picture of the Pistachio Chai.  

Strawberry Chocolate Chip

Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal

Ok, and here's the last little bit of this muffin pan madness...EGG MUFFINS!  It's like a bunch of mini omelettes baked in the oven.  These were only OK.  I might give them another go (and only if bacon is involved), but out of all the things I've made in a muffin pan--this was so not my favorite.  Plus, they looked So fluffy and glorious in the oven, but imploded the minute I took them out.

YOU ARE A DISAPPOINTMENT, EGG MUFFINS!!!!

I shall leave you with my deepest muffin pan desires--mini chicken pot pies, and mini CHERRY pies.  Because what's life without pie?  (Especially pies of the tiny variety??)  These two are happening.  Eventually.

HUGS!

S