I want to make muffins, so I make muffins. I’m not too bad at making muffins. But I am too casual about the recipe, too often in a hurry to get them in the oven, so they are rarely great muffins.
I would like to pay attention as I measure and mix: level off the measuring cup, stir just enough but not too much (this, at least, I am good at), and end up with the same amount of batter in every cup.
This morning I decided to use a different recipe for blueberry muffins, and I was haphazard: when I was mixing, I didn’t have almond extract, only vanilla; no whole milk, only half & half and skim; not quite two cups of berries, but close. And after they’d been baking for about ten minutes, I noticed that I had set the oven at 450º instead of 400º.
The result: I took the muffins out of the oven after about twelve minutes. One pan has black bottoms, one is fine, and the one that had the least-full cups is just okay. They taste good, though. They’re cakey muffins, nicely risen, and golden brown on top. I’m satisfied.
Anyway, it occurred to me that I seem to live my life the way I make muffins. And I suppose that if my life is as good as those blueberry muffins, that’s fine with me.
Not Plain Jane 
well, *that* muffin looks absolutely delicious so life must be pretty good! 🙂
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Your muffin surely looks good to me. And, the only way we discover new and different recipes is by altering old ones. So, instead of looking at it as being "casual," look at it as being "creative!"
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Bravo on the philosophy. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.
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You're describing me, too! I've never been known as a baker or cook or seamstress…. too loose on the details for anyone else (but me). I'm glad to hear that your muffins – and your life – are as sweet and good as you like!bookboxer
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You bake like I bake. It's not chemistry – it's life. Life is messy.
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hmmm, maybe I should taste one of those muffins and then I could give you my opinion…LOL. Of couse I will need a tall glass of your iced tea and limeade to go with it. Love your blog Jane…I always feel so peaceful after I read it. kathy kath1996@aol.com
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Baking is chemistry (sorry, Chris!) But life is messy and you could never account for variations in weather (crop production/taste). The idea is that careful attention to detail will get you close to the same result every time.How boring.
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Kind of like Forrest Gump said when he said "life is like a box of chocolates" (because you never know what you're going to get next)and your muffins are the same, Jane!We all do the best we can with the ingredients given in life. You mix them up and hope for the best. Sometimes the ingredients can be changed, but that would of course result in a whole 'nother set of life altering things.As long as your (dough) batter is always balanced, who cares if it doesn't always end in a perfect result? Lessons are learned along the way from our little mistakes!Eat one of those gorgeous muffins for me Jane!
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ice tea/lemonade – sounds delicious!
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Mmmm delicious! I always think that if you put good things in, then you almost alway get good things out! In life as well as cooking!
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What a perfect and fitting metaphor. And here's the kicker – even on those times when I DO follow a recipe exactly, it doesn't always turn out. There are so many variables beyond our control (in baking as in life), and the ride becomes so much easier when we let go. I raise my iced tea-lemonade to you!
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