Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

This winter, give your friends and family a taste of summer with these blueberry oatmeal muffins.

These muffins make tasty treats for teachers, postal workers and others you are looking to give token gifts to this holiday season. Or take them to the office potluck either for breakfast or for a healthy dessert.

Yes, blueberries are expensive this time of year, but give them a try with whatever fruit you have on hand. I've had excellent results substituting the blueberries for raspberries.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

1 1/2 tablespoons + 1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons + 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or raspberries)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste
1 cup yogurt (plain or fruit-flavored)
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a muffin pan.

Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons oats and 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine remaining oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until the batter is moistened but still lumpy. Gently fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin cups almost to top, and sprinkle reserved oats and brown sugar over muffins. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 12.

In Appreciation of Rice: Three Haikus

Rice! Oh cheap side dish--
You complement any meal
And you're tasty, too.

A pantry staple
For the cook on a budget--
Purchase rice in bulk.

Jasmine, brown or white,
In 15 minutes or less
My side dish is done.

Fast Food: From Cheap to Fancy

Quiche. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

Burger King Croissan'wich. Not so much.

But wait. According to Fancy Fast Food, you can make two mouth-watering mini-quiches purely by deconstructing a Croissan'wich meal and a few other items you can buy at BK.

At least the picture looks mouth-watering. I haven't been brave enough to try.

Fancy Fast Food does exactly what the name promises. The site has directions and images on how to recreate typical fast food meals into something special.

Domino's Pizza becomes chow mein.

Popeye's Chicken becomes sushi.

And unlike the "before" photos, the after shots look not only edible, but good.

Inspired? Submit your own fast food creations to the site!

America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Item: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Price: $34.95

Where to Buy: Cook's Illustrated

Review: I normally hate to cook, but the recipes in The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook drag me off the couch and into the kitchen. I've never made better pancakes, french toast or banana bread. My husband, who really does enjoy cooking and knows his way around a pantry, uses the cookbook almost every day.

With more than 1,200 recipes, this cookbook has whatever entree, side dish or dessert you're in the mood for. I especially like the tips, tricks, explanations and substitutions it provides with so many of the recipes. Who knew you could replace buttermilk with regular milk and a dash of lemon juice?

I swear by this book so much that both my mom and my sister received The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook for Christmas. It's not the cheapest cookbook, but it's the only one you'll ever need. That's a deal in my book.

Image from: Cook's Illustrated