FRENCH BREAKFAST PUFFSfeatured

I’ve been going round in my head with a few ideas of what I wanted to write tonight or what story I wanted to share that would be the right set up for these French Breakfast Puffs, but truthfully, I’m not feeling a particular anecdote or memory, what I am feeling lately is a lot of gratitude. And it’s gratitude in the midst of a year that’s been full of emotional ups and downs. Most of them self inflicted. Most of them not my finest moment. But I’ve learned a great deal more about myself this past year than I thought I had to learn at this age. I thought I had myself pretty figured out at this point. Apparently not. Not even close. I guess that’s the thing with life though, just when you think you have all the answers for yourself, you find yourself in circumstances and situations that throw you curve balls and you are left to relearn or reevaluate what you’re all about. But at the end of it all, I’m grateful for the knocks and the dings even though at the time they really are the worst. I’m grateful for the mistakes and bad decisions because I apparently needed to relearn a lot about myself this year. This is all sounding overly dramatic, but basically, it’s been a year of learning for me and I’m mighty grateful for the growth that’s coming from it. Cue the After School Special “The More You Know” shooting star.

Since I clearly felt like writing about learning, this probably IS the best recipe I could post for that since I’m almost positive this was the first recipe I made entirely on my own. Even if it wasn’t, I do know it’s the first recipe I mastered. This is the BEST recipe if you are just starting making something from scratch on your own. And these are also the best when you are feeling particularly dinged and need to eat your feelings with a best friend. Which, for the record, is exactly why God created friends and carbs. Obviously.

Recipe: French Breakfast Puffs  |  Soundtrack: Ingrid Michaelson

• MUFFINS
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• TOPPING
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º and put 18 muffin/cupcake liners into muffin tins. I personally like the reynolds wrap brand of liners. In fact, I remove the paper liner from inside and just use the tinfoil cups. I find that the muffins or cupcakes are always moist and not dry on the bottom.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar until it’s well blended. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and mix until just combined. Pour in the milk and beat until just combined.

Scoop the batter into the prepared tins. Fill each muffin liner till its right below the top. Place in the oven and bake for 16-20 minutes. While muffins are baking, melt the butter in a bowl that is wide enough to be easy for dipping the tops of the muffins. Similarly combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl that will be good for dipping and set aside.

Remove the muffins from the oven when they are done and quickly remove the muffins from the tin and place on a cooling rack. While muffins are still hot, dip the tops of the muffins into the butter and then quickly into the cinnamon/sugar mixture until well covered. Repeat until all of the muffins have a cinnamon/sugar top.

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