Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Hazelnut Pear Muffins


Note to self...

When returning from vacation, visit the garden BEFORE deciding to visit "the island" for something to can.

My last visit to Sauvie Island yielded 40 lbs. of apples, 40 lbs. of pears, 20 lbs. of tomatoes, and enough corn on the cob to nibble on for several days. I was excited to have something domestic to do after my 4 days of lounging in a boat.

While I was busy doing a happy dance in the kitchen, my children did what I should have done upon returning home. They checked the garden.


Lesson learned. (And lest I forget, my children, who never forget anything, are here to remind me...about every 15 minutes.)

Thankfully, I didn't have to can ALL of the beans.


I guess this makes us an 81% whole foods kind of family.

Back to the pears. After canning about 30 quarts of beans, 40 lbs. of pears seemed more like 400 lbs. of pears. Because I hadn't thought to check the garden beforehand, I made sure the pears were ripe and ready to go into the jars.

You know, for something immediate to do.

Oi.

So what does one do with so many pears, and not so many hours of daylight left? She makes muffins.

Lots and lots of Hazelnut Pear Muffins.

For the record, I ♥ Hazelnut Pear Muffins.


~The Players~

1-7/8 C. soft white pastry flour
1/2 C. sucanat, Rapadura, or organic sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/3 C. toasted, chopped hazelnuts
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 C. buttermilk
1-1/2 C. peeled & chopped pear

Preheat oven to 400F.

Sift flour, sucanat, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir in hazelnuts.

Combine eggs with buttermilk and beat slightly. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour egg/buttermilk mixture in well. Stir until just enough to moisten.

Fold in pears. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean.

Makes approximately 16 muffins.

Enjoy!☺

7 comments:

Lisa said...

Hope you won't mind if we borrow your recipe next Monday!

Wow, and I thought I was swamped with food to put by. I can't let my hubby see this post though, cause I haven't canned nearly that many pears. And he loves pears. :)

Blessings, ~Lisa

Amy Dingmann said...

Is it just me, or was there a post awhile ago that had something to do with forgetting to check the garden before visiting the island? Hmmm?

The muffins look divine, but what I mostly loved was the doggies begging for those beans. Could have been a picture from my house! :)

Kim said...

Lisa~Don't mind at all! :) Don't tell my hubby, but I'm planning on another 20 lbs. of pears before the week is up! Shhh....

MamaTea~I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I suffer from "selective memory loss"...;) The chocolate lab, Molly, is mine (of course!), and the yellow lab, Daisy, is my granddoggy...both are way too big to deny when they want a bean!

Candy C. said...

Great looking muffins, I love cooking with pears! The dogs are too cute begging for beans! :)

Savories of life said...

I made pear muffins not too long ago and they were no good. I will have to try your recipe as they must be better.
Sorry it has been so long sicne I came over.

Lisa said...

Kim, We're baking these today. :) Does this recipe need any butter or oil? You didn't include a fat in the ingredients; just checking to see if that was intentional. Thanks, ~Lisa

Kim said...

Lisa~No added fat...the buttermilk and eggs are enough...of course, we slather them in butter!:)