Blueberry Muffins a la Irving and Muktuk-- Nikki--July/August 2010

As the parent of a small child, I have opportunity to read a lot of children's books. A LOT of children's books. Some are great, while others make you want to stab yourself in the eye with a spork. Daniel Pinkwater's Irving and Muktuk series is among the greats. The stories tell all about two polar bears-- Irving and Muktuk, who are "bad bears and not to be trusted"-- and their ever-evolving plans to steal muffins. Blueberry muffins, to be specific. These bears will go to any length to get their favorite food. As we recently read the first book in the series for the umpteenth time, I was reminded of this month's challenge. Our abundance of blueberries in the fridge sealed the deal. I enlisted my helper, and we set to work.

My helper, with the book in question. (Yes, she's winking. No, I don't know why.)

I found the recipe on one of my all-time favorite cooking websites-- The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen site. Here's the link, so proper credit is given to the lovely person who came up with this recipe-- http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/breads/best-blueberry-muffins-ever/.

The ingredients:

• FOR THE MUFFINS:

• 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
• ¾ cups Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ⅓ cups Vegetable Oil
• 1 whole Egg
• ⅓ cups Milk
• 1 cup Blueberries
• _____
• FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:
• ½ cups Sugar
• ⅓ cups Flour
• ¼ cups Butter
• 1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients-- a pink princess bowl isn't strictly necessary, but Natalie assured me it would make the muffins taste better.



Place vegetable oil into a 1-cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Add all the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, stirring until just mixed together. Fold in blueberries.


Set aside the muffin mixture, and cut together sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon to form crumble topping. (A sidenote-- I think next time I make these I'll use brown sugar for the crumble topping instead of white...)



Fill muffin papers 2/3 full, and then sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake for 25 minutes, and revel in the smell. While you wait, feel free to read an Irving and Muktuk book.



We took the muffins out of the oven, and they looked and smelled fantastic.



After a brief cooling period, we tested them.



They were good. And while I didn't get a "thumbs up" photo from Jay, when I came into the kitchen the next morning FOUR muffins were missing from the pan... I believe that constitutes a thumbs up by proxy. A muffin heist worthy of Irving and Muktuk.