Snow Squalls and Shower Stalls

I often think about the future of this blog, whether after almost 6 years (yikes, has it really been that long?), enough is enough. Nothing new, I have this inner conversation whenever I feel as though I'm not easily keeping up. I have a schedule, partly because of an overwhelming need to control a life where I often feel like I'm bouncing from one uncontrollable situation to the next, and partly so those who follow this blog know when to expect a post. So most weeks I post on Tuesdays and Fridays except for one week each month when I do a Monday, Wednesday and Friday post. 

There was a time, when I didn't question the future of this blog, when I worked 4 - 6 weeks ahead. Blog posts written, graphic made, recipe developed, cooked, photographed and pictures edited. Those were the days when I almost felt as though this blog was keeping me going. You know, the years when I had teenagers doing teenage things I could either distract myself from or allow my head to explode all over the Persian rug. And, turns out, there was so much I wanted to say or to joke about, so many recipe ideas I wanted try out. 

But, one week ago today, here I sat wondering whether to continue yet again. The stress hadn't subsided, au contraire, mon frere. So much was still happening, too much really: everything we own appears to have conspired to break all at the same time, turning on the news alone raises my blood pressure to the head explosion danger zone and apparently the teenage years are just a precursor to the real stresses to come. So much, in fact, that writing, what was once my distraction, had let me down, I was uninspired, blocked, my mind was word paralyzed. Maybe I need to change tacks, I could work on developing a rug saving helmet. 

Why am I still here, you ask? Snow squalls and shower stalls.

It's been a really cold winter. There's been some snow but not a lot. The temperatures and the winds have kept me indoors more than I would have liked. Rather than going out regularly, I found myself planning out what day I'd get things done and how to get everything done on that one day. I was hibernating. 

On one of those indoors days last week it started to snow. I put the laundry into the dryer, left the TV off, sat on the couch facing the woods and watched the squall, mesmerized. And eerily, inexplicably, calmed.

An hour later, standing in my favorite think tank, better known as the shower, a recipe idea started to form, work its way through a few incarnations, and to gel. I'm thinking March, I'm (wishful) thinking Spring, I'm thinking St. Patrick's Day, I'm thinking whiskey.

Climbing out of the shower I hear the ding of an incoming text message from my older son "Heading home with a few friends soon, got any goodies?" 


Looks like it's sooner rather than later, no time like the present, pull out the muffin tins and try out that recipe today.

Apple Bourbon Bacon Muffins

And then another text came through, this one from my younger son 700 miles away at college: "My car won't start . . ."

Muffins are going to have to wait a bit. I've got to work this car thing out long distance. And when I'm done, I think I may have some stress writing to do. 

Either that or order a new rug.

I guess, for now anyway, I'm baaaaack.

Apple Bourbon Bacon Muffins        

                                    ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP Jim Beam Apple Bourbon

2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp apple pie seasoning
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1 cup milk
4 slices bacon, cooked and finely chopped, divided
   
3 TBSP Jim Beam Apple Bourbon
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 12 muffin liners in muffin tin.
*Melt the butter in a small saute pan. Add the apple, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook until the apples are soft, then remove from heat and mix in 2 TBSP bourbon. Set aside.
*Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and apple pie seasoning.
*In a separate bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Whisk in the oil and milk.
*Mixing just until incorporated add the wet ingredients, the apples and all the liquid in the saute pan, and 3 slices of the chopped bacon to the dry ingredients.
*Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the center springs back to the touch. Cool completely.
*Mix the remaining bourbon with the powdered sugar. Spread over the top of the cooled muffins, top with the reserved bacon.