Making Muffins

 Tom asked a few days ago whether we might have time to do some baking on Sunday. This week it was his turn to come here. He knows how much I love baking. But he had another goal in mind: wouldn't it be nice to be able to send his grand-nephew in Wyoming something we baked together?

 I told Tom we were only short a few things. How about we stop at a grocery for some raisins and some applesauce and make our special Pinehaven Applesauce Raisin Cupcakes? I love the things, of course, but I also though they'd be a good choice to mail ... firm, not too sticky and able to be placed in a shipping container without mashing. I thought, in other words, they could travel.

 Tom arrived with a bag of chopped dates and a large jar of applesauce. At 10:30 am, we got to work.

 This blue bowl that Tom's mixing in is the one I always choose when I'm baking. It was originally part of a three piece set that Mom and Dad got as a wedding gift in 1945. This is the largest of the three. The middle size -"The one I used most often" - broke, Mom said. "I suppose I dropped it," she added. I've always tried to be extra careful with the two remaining bowls.
 So I suggested Tom mix while I add the ingredients in a reasonable order.

 I've just added the flour when this picture was taken. The mixture gets suddenly harder to stir. I looks also as though I've added the chopped dates and two kinds of nuts: walnuts and pecans. I've never tried dates in this recipe before but that's what Tom brought and I could think of no reason why they wouldn't be delicious.

 The batter is in the muffin tin now, ready to put into the oven.

 And here are the golden-brown beauties after 25 minutes in the oven. We tested one (no, two) just so we could be sure Coulter would be getting the very best the Pinehaven bakery could offer.
 They're going into the mail today (December 29). I'm anxious to hear what Coulter thinks of them.

[written 12/28/14]