By Teri Cayton
The Parsons Advocate
From our recent snow melt and rain there is a mud puddle out front of the office and there must have been 25 black birds in it taking a bath. You can tell spring is coming even the birds are cleaning up. I once knew a lady that as soon as it got cold she stopped washing her hair until spring. She said that was a good way to get sick in the winter.
A lot of the old timers would not take a bath until spring and boy you could tell if you got too close. Then they would always take their spring tonic and that consisted of drinking sassafras tea until their nose would bleed. They said that was when you knew your blood was thinned out from winter. Momma Said, “I could do that but I don’t think I could go without a bath.”
Speaking of which I hope I get a few warmer days here before too long because all three dogs need a bath real bad. I just wish I could get them to sleep somewhere else besides around my bed. I am surrounded every night with stinky dogs. Momma Said, “I think I should have stuck with cats, at least they bathe themselves.”
It won’t be long before all will be well again. February is just beginning and already I see new calves on the ground. That is a good sign that spring is just around the corner. Just getting everything refreshed will help to lift the spirits and I am ready.
Orange Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, measured properly
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- zest of 3 oranges
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
ORANGE GLAZE
- 1 ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir with a spoon to combine and set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, orange zest and orange juice. Stir to combine with a spatula for 30 seconds.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing by hand just until combined. The batter will be very thick!
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other well allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other.
- Fill the liners to the top with batter. Yes – to the top! You might think there is no way to fit all the batter in 12 liners, but keep dividing the batter among the cups and fill the liners FULL! Use a butter knife to smooth the tops of the muffins if lumpy.
- Top the muffins with sanding sugar if desired.
- Bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keeping the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 13-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan.
Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to bump the temperature back up to 425ºF.
ORANGE GLAZE
- Mix the powdered sugar and orange juice together with a spoon. You may possibly need more orange juice, it just depends on how thin or thick you like your glaze. You can dip the tops of the muffins into the glaze or use a spoon to spread the glaze over them.