Muffinry - the art of making and eating muffins

Rhubarb Muffins - shared amongst friends this morn, in the sun, with some good coffee in hand. Uhmm, that is the life. Ron Hughes, gourmand at heart, professed these to be the best muffins ever - and asked me to post the recipe so that his daughter could see it and make some herself (this is for you, Marissa).

Rhubarb/Applesauce Muffins

1 1/2 cups of applesauce (any kind)
1/2 cup oil (just a little less than full)
2 eggs
3 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups of chopped rhubarb

Set oven to 350 degrees. Add applesauce, oil,eggs and vanilla and stir well. Then add dry ingredients and mix. Lastly, add walnuts and chopped rhubarb. Top with cinnamon sugar. Put into paper lined cupcake pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. This will make 15 good sized muffins. 12 to take out and 3 to leave for yourself at home (he he!)
This recipe comes from my own personal derivation from this recipe here. Happy Baking!

Rhubarb Season!

Well, the bountifulness of the summer is already upon us - the rhubarb is ready to be picked. One of our family favorites - in really any recipe, is Rhubarb. However, I will let you in on the best and simplest recipe ever for rhubarb -one that you and your family can enjoy again and again. Rhubarb Compote.

Soak and clean the stalks of rhubarb and cut into chunks. Place in a nice heavy pan (or whatever you've got) and put on a very low heat to simmer. Yep, that's right - don't add water, the rhubarb has plenty enough to make the sauce. It may take awhile, but this will cook down into a thick sauce. Add sugar to taste while it is still warm and then = EAT!

Eat it all by itself, eat it slopped onto of some vanilla ice cream, eat it for breakfast served over a sliced banana, add some strawberries to it and serve over shortcakes (rhubarb will take on the taste of the berries and give you more to serve at less the price!
Ask your neighbors for some from their garden - then be polite, and share some delicious compote with them - you will always have a ready supply of ingredients at hand that way