Sunday Morning Mandarin Muffins

I don't want to just eat. I don't want to just sate the physiological hunger. I want to savour. I want my food to fill me beyond my rumbling stomach. Sunday morning breakfasts should be lovely, warm, gentle, and slow. That is precisely what this morning was. In the low-angle morning light that filled my still quiet kitchen, I mixed and stirred and peeked in the oven, watching the crumbly tops of these luscious muffins turn golden. While the muffins baked and filled my home with the smell of warm cinnamon, I poured iced pink grapefruit juice and dished up mango greek yoghurt topped fresh blackberries. Then we sat, looking out at the fresh, thick blanket of snow covering the trees, ate warm muffins, and laughed at the Sunday comics. It was how all Sunday mornings should be.

Sunday morning sustenance.
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 11oz tin of mandarin oranges, drained

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg; beat well. Add the milk and vanilla; mix well.
3. Pour the milk mixture into a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Mix only until moist.
4. Gently stir the mandarin oranges into the batter.
5. Fill large greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with topping (listed below).
6. Bake for 22 minutes on middle rack in oven set at 400F. (If you use regular size muffin cup tin, bake for 20 minutes.

Topping
Blend together:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons oatmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Enjoy! :D
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