Thursday, April 21, 2011

Lemon Yogurt Muffins on a Happy, Happy Day

Today, my daughter Tricia and her boyfriend Jeff became an engaged couple. It's wonderful news, and I finally heard about it after Tricia repeatedly tried to reach me on my cell phone which was still on my night stand after I went to work without it today(!).  So, the news was a little bit delayed but very welcome, nonetheless!  It was a very romantic proposal, in beautiful Yaddo in Saratoga Springs.  Tricia tells me Jeff got down and one knee and when she realized what was happening, she couldn't believe it.  She hadn't had any idea!  So now they are engaged, and are both elated.  Jeff is a great addition to our family. He and Tricia have a happy, fun-loving, and joyful relationship.  I've spent half the night sharing the good news -- by phone, by email, and by facebook -- this is indeed good news, all the way around.

Tonight, in my happiness, I am baking lemon yogurt muffins.  I've adapted my basic muffin recipe with the addition of granulated lemon peel (purchased at Fresh Market) and the substitution of vanilla yogurt for sour cream.  They're just coming out of the oven  now, and they smell great!

Tonight, muffins, and at a date to be determined in 2012, my daughter's wedding cake.  Love it.


LEMON YOGURT MUFFINS
makes 2 dozen
Prepare muffin tins with liners or by spraying with vegetable spray

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons granulated lemon peel (or the zest of one lemon)
2 cups vanilla yogurt
3.5 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter with sugar for 3 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and lemon peel.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla yogurt and mix well.



Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, all together.  Mix  on lowest speed until well combined.  Don't worry, you can mix this beyond just being moist.  Make sure all the dry ingredients are well incorporated, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Cool for 20 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Sift confectioners sugar over top.

2 comments:

  1. Congratulations to Tricia and Jeff! How very exciting! And these muffins look delicious too. :)

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  2. Thanks Colleen - appreciate the good wishes. It's always exciting to look forward to a wedding and then the life that they make for themselves after the celebration. Tricia and Jeff are a very happy couple, so I'm sure they have many joyful years ahead.

    The muffins were good - pretty sweet, though. I think they'd be less sweet if I'd used plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream. Next time I'll cut down on the sugar - maybe by half a cup.

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