Allspice Crumb Muffins

Today I’m thinking big picture.

Last night I chose to visit with friends instead of take a shower. Today I chose to visit with friends instead of folding laundry. I may be stinky and wrinkled but the relationships I’m fostering will last long after my clothes are hanging in the closet. That’s big picture.

I’ve decided to start being more feminine with my appearance when it comes to hair and make up. I stay home all day with no one to impress but two babies and a husband who would love me even if I looked like a monster. They’re the only ones I want to impress. Big picture.

I feel like adolescence is the time for people to try a million different things and figure out who they are.

It seems that I was too shy or perhaps preoccupied in my adolescence to figure out who I am entirely. Maybe no one ever knows who they really are. This is my life. This is really. Big. Picture.

What I know so far is that whatever I’m doing I enjoy giving it everything I have. I am in love with art in a broader sense than just painting or sculpture. I want to find art in food, fashion, music and more. I dream of one day being as brilliant as this lady and as sweet as this one.

I had to take a time out from photographing muffins to calm a crying baby. That’s big picture stuff.

Muffin in the background. Muffin Man in the foreground.

These muffins are awesome. They taste like a chewy brown sugar cookie. They’re definitely a breakfast ‘treat.’

Do a few sit ups. Eat a few muffins. Big picture.

Allspice Crumb Muffins

Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
¾ cup milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground allspice
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, allspice and salt. Whisk in brown sugar, making sure to remove any lumps. In another bowl, slowly whisk milk into melted butter. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and, with a few swift strokes, gently whisk together until moistened. The batter should be lumpy. Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups.

To make the streusel, place the flour, brown sugar, and allspice in a small bowl. Use your fingers to incorporate everything together. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the dry ingredients until you have irregular crumbs.

Sprinkle the streusel over the muffins and use your fingers to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.