This morning, Dad sat on the couch with the gingers – Pia and Quint. This seems to be normal around here for a Monday morning as Mom discovered on her very first paid day off from work. Apparently, it takes a l-o-n-g time to accrue enough hours to make a single vacation day. Remembering last March when she went without pay for two of our extra-icy weather days when she couldn’t get to work, she hadn’t taken any time off since. This winter wasn’t as bad and she didn’t miss any work days. She’s happy to report she has over a week’s worth of vacation time built up even after taking today off and doesn’t see any reason to take anymore time off this year. Our Mom’s a saver that way.

Which all meant Mom had time today to spent with Pia and Quint . . .

. . . except after peppering Dad with all kinds of important morning questions like, “Why is Mom home?” and “We’re not deviating from our routine here, are we, Dad?” and “You’re going to pet me first like usual, right?” the gingers stuck to their routine of napping the entire morning and early afternoon away. Forgotten Mom sniffled a bit over being forgotten and lost herself in starting her annual backyard spring clean up. And then she made blueberry muffins from scratch while Tessa watched.

At least, that’s what Tessa said she was doing.

Here’s the old muffin recipe Mom uses for everything:

Makes 6 jumbo muffins or a dozen small muffins also known here as “Why would you make anything that small?”

1 3/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 cup minus 1 Tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen – thaw in microwave for 1 minute

1 well-beaten egg
3/4 cup milk or substitute water if you’re not a milk person like Mom
1/3 cup salad oil or olive oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon lemon flavoring or juice (optional but tasty)
Pam or cooking spray

Mix dry ingredients together very well in bowl. No one wants to bite into a chunk of baking powder (ask us how we know). Add blueberries and stir to coat each with dry ingredients. In separate bowl, beat together milk/water, oil, and flavorings and add to dry ingredients until dry ingredients are just moistened. Try not to smash the blueberries.

Add muffin papers to muffin pan and lightly spray bottom of papers with cooking spray. Fill each muffin paper with same amount of batter using all the batter evenly.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Insert toothpick in center to test for doneness. A dry toothpick means the muffins are done. Do not use toothpick more than once. No fair licking the toothpick to use it again. Tessa, we’re looking at you.

Editor’s Note: Viola specifically asked not to be included in today’s post as she was trying out a new box placed elsewhere. If only she knew the kind of trouble Tessa was looking to create . . .

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A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2024 – No post
2023 – No post
2022 – No post
2021 – Five Word Wednesday
2020 – No post
2019 – No post
2018 – No post
2017 – Friday Flubs
2016 – No post
2015 – Ruby Tuesday
2014 – MultiCat Monday
2013 – No post
2012 – No post