Queen of Kitchen Gadgets FAIL and Breakfast Muffins

TBHITW (The Best Husband In The World) works outdoors many days a week.

Like the rest of the USA, it has been positively frigid here in the Northeast.

Now because I am a good wife (and because TBHITW would eat fast food everyday) on most days I pack his lunch. On especially cold days I get out his very manly, man Thermos and pack something steaming hot. Like soup. Or hot coffee and a manly sandwich. Or chili if I just happened to have made some.

This week TBHITW is working outdoors at a very big drill site. There are large, tough drill rigs and even larger, tougher rough necks who operate the rigs. (they are drilling for water, not oil, texas tea, black gold). These are manly men, the kind you see on "Dirtiest Jobs". They work hard and play harder. They LIKE being called Rough Necks. They eat nails for lunch and they like that too. They have tatoos that do not say Mother. Well, not just Mother.

Drilling is cold, hard, dirty work and a bit of hot home cooking goes a long way in making it a little less grueling.

If you read yesterday's post, you will recall that I made a big pot of chili. My plan was to serve some for dinner and have some leftover to reheat and pack for TBHITW's lunch. And that's exactly what I did.

MMMM... nice hot lunch to go in a manly, man Thermos

All TBHITW has to do is unscrew that lid, and scoop some chili into the top. Instant warmth. When I was packing the chili I noticed that the Thermos is pretty tall and slender and the chili was pretty chunky and thick. I thought it would be easier for TBHITW if he had a spoon that he could kind of dig the chili out with. Plus he would need a spoon to eat with right?

Tablespoon and teaspoon

The only problem was a tablespoon was too wide and a teaspoon wasn't long enough. An ice tea spoon would be perfect I reasoned! That's when I realized that of all the gadgets, silverware, pots, pans, casseroles, quiche pans, souffles, roasting pans, spatulas, graters, sifters, measuring cups, knives, lalapaloozas and bamboozas in all the drawers, cupboards, cabinets and holders, I DO NOT OWN ONE ICE TEA SPOON. How could I have failed on such a grand scale? Me, Queen of All Kitchen Wares. The shame, the horror, the utter unspeakableness of it all. (is that a word?) Anyway,

Not to be defeated I found a suitable replacement and somewhat happily finished packing his lunch. Even whistling a bit as I was so pleased with myself and my ingenuity.

TBHITW just called me from the job site and informed me he is somewhat miffed with me and unlike the Rough Necks he works with, he is not amused.

Ice Tea Replacement Spoon - Sea World 2006

Breakfast Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

These muffins are mighty. They fill you up, but not out.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a 12 cup cupcake tin with non-stick spray.

1 3/4 cups whole grain flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the above ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the above ingredients and mix into the flour mixture. Just give a few quick stirs.

1/2 cup crushed pineapple in juice, drained

1/3 cup raisins

1/4 cup carrots, grated

1 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Stir the fruit, carrots and walnuts into the batter. Divide evenly among the muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on rack in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and continue to cool on rack.

A Cook's Notes: This recipe is adapted from Rodale's Flat Belly Diet Book. According to their recipe each muffin has 242 calories, 6 grams of protein, 29 grams carbs, 12.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 177 mg sodium and 3 grams of fiber.

According to me, the muffins taste like carrot cake and if you add a glass of skim milk it makes a very satisfying breakfast. (I have not been paid to review The Flat Belly Diet - I'm just trying to get a flat belly)