Moving Day

I have moved my blog to http://jkisom.wordpress.com

Please come see me there!

Jeannine

Fruit and Fiber Muffins (gluten free)

I have been experimenting with muffin mixes, primarily because it is a quick and easy breakfast that my husband will usually eat. I make a dozen up on the weekend and keep them in the fridge all week. Thirty seconds in the microwave and they are nice and warm.

Here is the flour mix I am using. It is based on the Bette Hagman proportions, but with modifications to include a variety of flours and more fiber.

Gluten Free Flour Mix
3 parts brown rice flour
2 parts sweet white sorghum flour
1 part soy flour
1/2 part flaxseed meal
1 part tapioca starch flour
2 parts potato starch flour
Mix thoroughly and store in a plastic container in the refrigerator.

Now here is the gluten free muffin recipe I am currently using.

Gluten-free Fruit and Fiber Muffins
3 1/2 c. gluten free flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 T egg replacer
1 tsp xanthum gum
1/3 c. demerara cane sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tsp powdered vanilla
5T powdered buttermilk
4 eggs
1/2 c canola oil
1 1/2 to 2 c. water
1 to 2 c coarsely chopped fresh fruit or dried fruit
1 to 2 c chopped nuts, rolled oats or coconut (I use whatever I have on hand and just mix it to make 2 c)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease 12 Texas size muffin cups. Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a large (4 c or larger) measuring cup, mix together the oil, eggs and water. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the fruit and nuts. Divide the mix evenly between the 12 muffin cups--they will be full to the top, but they don't rise enough to run over. The mix should be quite thick. Bake about 30 min or until they are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean.

Note: If you are not on a gluten free diet, try using whole wheat flour and regular flour in equal proportions and leave out the xanthum gum and egg replacer.

When one door closes...

When we moved to a small town in rural New Mexico last spring, I knew I was taking a chance that I might never find a job that would allow me to use my experience and education. But, we loved the lifestyle and the country and we were really burned out on the big city (Houston). After 20 years of working at a major research university, I was ready to try something else--something that made me feel like I was making a difference some how. So when the opportunity came up for my husband to transfer to southern New Mexico, I just said go for it...I'll find something to do with my career when we get there.

Boy, am I glad I did that. I would never in a million years have thought of museum education as a career. But here I am planning education programs around some of my lifelong passions. My interests outside of work and family are gardening--organically and using ecologically sound, sustainable methods--fiber arts, especially knitting and crochet and anything else that lets me play with gorgeous yarn; and historical crafts, patterns and gardening methods. So what am I doing right now at work, you may ask?? Well, I am planning a big event for spinners, weavers and other yarnies (in April-happy birthday to me), a rendezvous that includes traditional crafts that were part of the mountain man era--spinning, weaving, quilting, basket making, corn husk dolls (and I'm still researching it--it will be in mid-July), and I've been discussing a collaboration with Julia Price of Sierra Dove to establish community gardens in the area, with the museum garden having a focus on traditional methods used in the southwest. I am going to work every day and researching my hobbies and planning events with people who love the things I love.

Could it get any better than that? Whoop!!

So tell me--have you thought about what interests and passions you could turn into a career?