Our youngest is home for a few days to celebrate her dad’s retirement.  And, just for grins and giggles, I stirred up a batch of muffins for breakfast. You might like them for the Fourth of July.

On Dave’s last day at work, he, too, lit up when I asked about a little tiny sweet to start the day.  

And while the muffins are the regular old size, they aren’t terribly sweet except for the perfection of the berries.  Summer!

It’s a big day. We’re going to be sighing and celebrating through the weekend. Who knows what we’ll do?

But we’re getting a good start with these happy muffins.  Try this:STRAWBERRY-BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH ALMONDS

makes 12 muffins

WET INGREDIENTS:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup canola oil

DRY INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup stone-ground corn meal
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup each:  stemmed and chopped strawberries and whole blueberries
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds

• Butter, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set oven rack in the middle of oven.
2. Grease 12 1/2-cup muffin tins with softened butter or spray very well with PAM
3. In one bowl, beat together the wet ingredients and set aside.
4. In a larger bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well, but briefly, just to combine.
6. Stir the berries carefully into the batter so that strawberry pieces don’t break up.
7. Using a large greased ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the muffin tins. Top each muffin with 5-6 slices of almonds.
8. Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and/or tester comes out clean. Do not over bake.
9. Turn out immediately onto a cooling rack. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold with lots of butter and big hot cups of coffee.

PRINTABLE RECIPE:  Recipes-Strawberry Blueberry Muffins

And when everyone’s gone in a few days, the cards have been opened, the wine drunk, and the leftovers consumed, Dave and I will take off for Alaska. And ponder the life that was and the life that will be. YES!!! YES!!! Come go with us…. but first

Bake a new muffin,

Alyce