Don't you wish you had a strawberry patch? A warm little spot in the back of your yard where a dozen plants produced basket after basket of ripe red berries? Maybe some of you are already lucky enough to grow your own berries (my father certainly tries, but his efforts are always curtailed by a family of rabbits).
Ryan and I can't wait for the day when we actually have a yard. You will certainly find me with a wide rim hat and a shovel, sun streaked and satisfied with the bounty of our labor.
But as for now, we have to buy our strawberries from the grocery store. Not very romantic or sustainable, but sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.
While we don't have a strawberry patch, we have been blessed with a wonderful spice store, the Savory Spice Shop, which is located less than a mile from our apartment. On my morning walks, I'll often stop into the store to take a whiff of their Madagascar cinnamon or munch a handful of popcorn sprinkled with the freshest of Chile powder.
The other day in the store, I found a jar of poppy seeds that tempted me with flashbacks of big, slightly greasy poppy seed muffins. As I stood there, envisioning my own poppy seed creation, I knew that I needed to add some berries to the mix, and of course it being Spring, strawberries were my first choice.
Ryan and I can't wait for the day when we actually have a yard. You will certainly find me with a wide rim hat and a shovel, sun streaked and satisfied with the bounty of our labor.
But as for now, we have to buy our strawberries from the grocery store. Not very romantic or sustainable, but sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.
While we don't have a strawberry patch, we have been blessed with a wonderful spice store, the Savory Spice Shop, which is located less than a mile from our apartment. On my morning walks, I'll often stop into the store to take a whiff of their Madagascar cinnamon or munch a handful of popcorn sprinkled with the freshest of Chile powder.
The other day in the store, I found a jar of poppy seeds that tempted me with flashbacks of big, slightly greasy poppy seed muffins. As I stood there, envisioning my own poppy seed creation, I knew that I needed to add some berries to the mix, and of course it being Spring, strawberries were my first choice.
I brought a dozen of these muffins to the boutique I work at, and they were gone within an hour. Our customers just love browsing the store while munching on a freshly baked cookie or muffin (who doesn't?). Sadly, The Loft, attempted to hand out some baked goodies of their own, but instead of a warm, chewy treat, their cookies were stale, plain and sealed in a plastic wrapper...needless to say, my muffins won the war.
The batter for these gems is thick, which makes it perfect to hold the strawberries in place. If your muffin batter is runny, berries tend to sink to the bottom, creating a sticky (but still delicious) mess. Like all muffin recipes, these are a snap to throw together and hold up well for several days. I hope that you enjoy them as much as my customers did.
The batter for these gems is thick, which makes it perfect to hold the strawberries in place. If your muffin batter is runny, berries tend to sink to the bottom, creating a sticky (but still delicious) mess. Like all muffin recipes, these are a snap to throw together and hold up well for several days. I hope that you enjoy them as much as my customers did.
Strawberry Poppy Seed Muffins
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 cup chopped strawberries (fresh)
1 Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease or line a 12 tin muffin pan.
2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
3 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the lemon zest.
4 Beat in one third of the dry ingredients until just mixed. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in a third more of the dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Do not over beat. Gently fold in chopped berries.
5 Distribute the muffin dough equally among the tins. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and after 5 minutes, remove from pan.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 cup chopped strawberries (fresh)
1 Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease or line a 12 tin muffin pan.
2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
3 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the lemon zest.
4 Beat in one third of the dry ingredients until just mixed. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in a third more of the dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Do not over beat. Gently fold in chopped berries.
5 Distribute the muffin dough equally among the tins. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and after 5 minutes, remove from pan.
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