No One Ever Said This Would Be Easy - Just Worth It

If you are expecting your life to be easy when you step outside of your comfort zone, stop.  It's going to be challenging and you knew that, that's why you have stayed in your comfort zone for so long.  Now it is time for a change.  Decide what it is that you are wanting to do and get your plans set up and get with it.

My list keeps growing and I am facing challenges but I am confident that I can overcome the obstacles that continue to pop up in my way.  I still need to learn to face some of these challenges head on and will probably need help there but I also need to learn to look to the Lord first and He will point me where I need to be.  I am also learning His time and not mine.  : )

In the meantime, I am going to share with you a recipe that I love for Cranberry Orange Muffins made in a muffin top pan.  If you don't have one, get one.  They are great and only make tops -- which is what everyone usually eats first anyway -- or they save the best for last.  Whichever you are, enjoy these today. 

The big BCS game between Auburn and Oregon is today in our backyard and I'm sure the traffic and crowds will be crazy.  Happy Happy !

Charlene


Cranberry-Orange Muffins 

1 cup dried (sweetened) cranberries
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest (the zest of one whole orange)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 Tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola or olive)
1/2 cup milk (any fat content)

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Line a muffin/cupcake pan with paper liners.

1. Zest one whole orange (making about 1 Tablespoon of zest) and set aside.  Squeeze the juice from that one orange (about 1/3 cup).
2. Put the orange juice (if needed, add some prepared orange juice to the fresh juice to make 1/3 cup) and the cranberries in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer about 5 minutes, stirring as needed.  Turn off heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger, and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, orange zest and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
5. Scrape down the side of the bowl, then add in the eggs (one at a time), vanilla, orange extract, and oil.  Blend until well combined.
6. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk (add about half of the flour mixture, then some milk, then the rest of the flour, and the rest of the milk).  Fold in the cranberries.  Do not over mix.
7. Scoop batter into prepared muffin/cupcake pan. (Or use a muffin top pan since everyone likes the tops best.)  Bake muffins about 20 minutes (test with a toothpick, there should be moist crumbs, but not wet).
8. Cool muffins on a wire cooling rack.

Enjoy the muffins while still warm, or when cool.  They are best the day they are made, but are still very good the next day.

Yields about 8 large or 12 medium (standard) muffins. Double the amount of muffins if you use a muffin top pan since you are only baking the tops.