Cookin' With Leo

By Leocthasme

Well here we are again, and Easter is right around the corner, bunnies are hoppin’ all over the back yard now. Seems like we just got over Christmas, but I guess time moves on faster than I can keep up with it anymore. It’s been a darn cold winter even here is West Texas, where the desert sand and oil is. Mostly it is always hot here but this year we got caught in some Sunaumi, or somethin’, whatever them things are.

Any way we had one cold winter down here, even had snow, and that ain’t normal, especially since we had about 3 inches of snow at one time. That’s more snow than we get in about 10 years. Well now, the weather is back to normal, more or less. It has got back to about 60 or 70 during the day time, and that’s about right for West Texas even in February and March. Don’t please this ol’ northerner much but then since I am getting’ old and cranky, I suppose it is better than freezing my tail off ,whatever; And after being sick most of last year, it is good to be in a warm climate, wherever. So much fer bitchin’, let’s get on to a good recipe for celebratin’ Easter Time and bunnies, whichever.

Here is what you will need:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1 egg
• ½ cup light molasses
• 1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

And for the Apricot Glaze:

• 1 ½ cups apricot preserves
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

And Here is how you do it:

Lightly butter well seasoned cast iron muffin pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl sift together the dry ingredients. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg, molasses, crystallized ginger, sugar, and melted butter until thick. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat for 1 minute after each addition to combine the ingredients well. Pour the batter into each muffin cup. Top each muffin with a slice of apricot. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Meanwhile prepare the apricot glaze: combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring. Then reduce the heat to low, keeping warm until ready to use.

Remove the muffins from the oven and let cool completely before removing. Serve, drizzled with Apricot Glaze and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.