Spiced Blueberry Muffins and Tea

More on the summertime rant ... I went to visit a friend's mother yesterday and shared lunch and chatter in her sunny little apartment.  As I made my way home, I kept thinking how fun it is, sharing tea and a sweet something with friends.

Today, I found myself taking inventory of my freezer contents and what did I find? Perfect wild blueberries, frozen at the height of summer - last August.  They were calling to me to make something, anything with them, so muffins and tea felt just right. These muffins, though, would be spicy muffins - light brown and spicy muffins that resemble a mild gingerbread - muffins that would have a bit of lemon and honey flavored butter for spreading on them - muffins baked in the sweetest little muffin cups - muffins from heaven!

A bit later, I will share a pot of tea and these muffins with my special friend and we will recall how we climbed through the green canopy to the top of Gap Mountain, came up out of the shady trail to the summit, and picked high bush blueberries while the birds chittered and the breeze rustled the shrubs and grasses.

God, thank you for memories of high summer ... and thank you for freezers so that I can taste it right here, right now ... in February.

Blueberry Gingered Muffins

Ingredients:

1 c. light brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

2 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 heaping tbsp. vanilla yogurt

1 heaping c. frozen or fresh wild blueberries

Making the Muffins:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with muffin cups.

2. Mix the brown sugar and eggs in a deep mixing bowl.

3. Add the canola oil and stir briskly to incorporate.

4. Add the vvanilla, nutmeg, and ginger and stir well.

5. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a measuring cup and add all at once to the egg mixture.

6. Stir the mixture just enough to begin to bring the dough together and then, add the yogurt and stir to make a thick dough. Don't overmix.

7. Fold in the blueberries, being careful not to break them up.

8. Use two soup spoons to scoop the muffin dough into the muffin cups.

9. There is enough batter for 12 regular-sized muffins.

10. Bake for 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven and then turn the broiler on to make the tops golden. Watch the muffins carefully , as you brown the tops!

11. Cool in the muffin pan for just a few minutes and then remove them to a platter for finishing the cooling process ... eat some of them warm with whipped lemon scented butter.