french breakfast muffins

makes 12 muffins

muffin ingredients:

2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 large egg

1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 tsp vanilla extract

cinnamon-sugar topping ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 375 degrees. butter the bottoms (only) of muffin tin.

2. in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

3. in a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg until it's froth. blend in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture.

4. using a wooden spoon, mix the batter just until it's even blended, then spoon it into the muffin cups, filling about two-thrids.

5. bake the muffins on the center rack for 15 minutes. then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. let cool for 5 minutes before removing muffins from the tin.

6. before the muffins loose their warmth, prepare the topping. mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. melt the butter and transfer in to a separate small bowl. set both bowls next to the muffins.

7. working one muffin at a time quickly dip the tops in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, rolling each muffin in all directions to cover the entire top.

(note: after my first batch came out a bit toasty, i found that my oven runs a bit hot, so i knocked down the temp to just shy of 375, and baked for 12 minutes, rotated pan and then baked for an additional 5 minutes.)

DIY: bath salts

alright guys! you ask for it, and here it is. the first of many "how to's" from turquoise violets.

remember the spontaneous 200+ giveaway that i did the other day? well this is the homemade gift that i made for the winner. bath salts are one of my favorite gifts to give. they say "i was thinking about you" in one of the best forms...relaxation. i decided on these for little ms humble bumble b, because there is no one i know that deserves a little relaxation more than this lady! she is one hard working momma!

so here it is.....

coffee & cinnamon bath salts

you will need:

epson salt

olive oil

ground coffee

cinnamon

double boiler (or crock pot)

coffee filter (optional)

jar for your finished salts

step 1:

measure how much salt you will need to fill your jar, i always use this same jar from michael's and i know it holds 2 cups of salt. next you will figure out the amount of oil that you will need. the way i do my measurements is always a 2:1 ratio (2 cups of salt:1 cup of oil). in a separate mason jar mix 1 cup oil, 1 tbsp of cround coffee and 1 tsp cinnamon.

step2:

time to set up your double boiler. i use a pot of boiling water and a mason jar. you could also use a small crock pot. bring enough water to cover your oil mixture to a low boil. place your mason jar into the boiling water. let the oil simmer for a few hours. stirring occasionally.

step 3:

once you are satisfied with the strength of the aroma remove jar from oil. be careful, it will be extremely hot. let the oil cool completely. i recommend letting it cool for at least a few hours, if it is still warm at all it will dissolve the salts. once the oil is completely cool pour over the salts.

note: this is the step where your optional coffee

filter will come in. i don't use the filtering method

because i like the added texture of the coffee

grinds. but if you would rather them gone you can

run the oil through a coffee filter, and then into

the salts.

step 4:

fold the oil and salt together gently and that's it, you are done. package however you please. i like to wrap mine with twine and attach a handmade tag. i usually use some recycled bit of the boys art. hope you enjoy these salts that can either be used for soaking in the tub, or in the shower as a scrub. (oh, i like that little poetic slogan....hahaha)