Rhubarb Muffins

 

Cooking seasonally is best, don't you think? Now that Spring is here, I look over my back fence and admire my neighbour's enormous rhubarb plant with its huge leaves and red stalks. And then I wonder at my own paltry plant. It's not done very well this year. Fortunately, rhubarb growers are happy to share and I received a dozen or so fat stalks from my son. It only took one of them to fill a 1-cup measure, which is all that's needed for this recipe that's not too sweet.

Rhubarb Muffins

1/2 cup (125 ml) plain yogurt

1/4 cup (60 ml) melted butter

1 large egg

1 1/3 cups (325 ml) plain flour 

1 cup (250 ml) diced rhubarb (Dice to 1/4-1/2 inch - 1 - 1.5cm)

2/3 cup (150 ml) pack brown sugar

1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda

1/4 (1 ml) salt

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Topping

1/4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar

1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon (15 ml) melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (180 C). 

Mix together the yogurt, butter, and egg. Add the brown sugar and mix well. Add the rhubarb. Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to the liquid mixture. Stir just until moistened. 

Fill 10-12 muffin cups (I like to line the tin with paper cups). 

Stir together topping ingredients and spoon onto each muffin. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Best enjoyed warm with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Note: If you don't have yogurt, you can use buttermilk or sour cream. Vegetable oil can be substituted for the melted butter. 

Note 2: Although I always say to mix the dry ingredients separately, more often than not I'll put them into the wet mixture all at once. I'm lazy that way. 

Chicken with Orange Sauce

 

I was inspired to create this recipe by another seen on social media. It's quick to prepare; ready in the time it takes to cook a pot of rice. We enjoyed it over rice with broccoli alongside. The addition of the butter makes a lovely unctuous sauce. 

Chicken with Orange Sauce

2 chicken breast halves

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 oranges, juiced (about 1 cup juice) I include the pulp in the sauce

1 small onion, minced

1-2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or dried)

1 1/2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon butter

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thin cutlets, removing the tenderloins, as well. Season both sides of the chicken pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, then quickly sear the chicken on both sides. It will not cook all the way through. Remove chicken and set aside. 

Add the orange juice, onion, wine vinegar, rosemary and honey to the pan. Quickly scrape any bits left from searing the chicken into the sauce. Bring to a boil and let the mixture boil vigorously for 1-2 minutes. 

Add the chicken pieces back into the pan. Let simmer 5 minutes or until all the chicken is cooked through. Add the butter to the pan and stir thoroughly. Let simmer another minute or two. 

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.