Modest Muffins; Substitute the Sour Cream; The Pre-Thanksgiving Post

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost been a year since the end of 2011 when I moved back to the Bay Area. Almost around the same time last year, I had reconnected with my friend, Olivia, whom you may remember from the beginning of my blog. The picture of us I’ve included in this post is from the Renegade Craft Fair photo booth where we tried to look our hipsterest with the mustaches and all.

This past Friday morning, Olivia came over and helped me make some…drum roll please… MUFFINS! I had bought a tub of 0% fat Greek yogurt a while ago and needed to use it, so I substituted it for sour cream in the Joy of Baking's Sour Cream Chip muffin recipe. I also substituted the chocolate chips with fresh, fish-face sour cranberries and then added some leftover pumpkin purée I had from making pumpkin cheesecakes for work. What I love about muffins is how they are so simple and low-maintenance. According to Wikipedia, they’re the humblest of breakfast pastries, so I like to call them modest muffins (sounds like the band Modest Mouse too!). You just take some flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, add the dry mix to the wet mix of sour cream or Greek yogurt, an egg, melted butter and vanilla extract and add whatever other spices, nuts, or fruits you desire. I realized after the fact that my muffins were Thanksgiving themed, which was perfect seeing as that wonderful Turkey-filled day is coming up.

The left half are sprinkled with brown sugar, the right half are plain.

Some things I was thankful for that day: spending time and catching up with the lovely Olivia- she’s always such wonderful company- and fun too!, having the muffins turn out rather well- moist and flavorful!, and knowing that my parents will be coming up for the holiday after all- yay! It’s funny how one day full of food and family can conjure up so many positive emotions and feelings of gratitude that we should really strive to have most of the year round. What are you going to say when it’s your turn to be thankful?