Desperately Seeking Greens

a cast-iron heart may be required to (regularly) enjoy my rice muffins

I'M beginning to realize that I am in need of a new recipe and preferably one involving greens! As you must have noticed: whenever I attempt a new recipe, if it's successful enough (and I enjoy it) I end up making it again and again... until I tire of it. (but cut me some slack, I just started learning how to cook) 

this variation of rice muffins included
scallions, cheese and a pad of butter

But the good news is: I think I'm beginning to understand how to cook... 

Tonight was my third time making my latest favorite dish: rice muffins. As stated in my previous post, I thought the rice muffins could be a bit improved with some greens (chopped chives) and butter. Last weekend, I enjoyed the privilege of a visit from David and--of course--had to make him rice muffins. (both he and I are glad that I finally know how to cook us a proper supper) I'd told him my idea of adding chives and butter to the rice muffins, but he one-upped that idea and instead suggested: scallions, sharp cheddar and an egg broken over the top a few minutes before cooking ended.

how did he know this was going to taste so good?

The second batch of rice muffins was markedly better than the first. I'd mixed the dry and the wet ingredients separately before combining them (over-working the batter often results in a tough texture); and the pad of butter added atop each muffin prior to baking went a long way in mastering a moister muffin. Personally, I would have been fine without the added cheese (aged Welsh cheddar), but David was a big fan of the addition. However, with the lone ramekin that was reserved for the "sunny side up" egg, the cheese was a terrific addition!

rice muffins... perfected

TONIGHT I made rice muffins for the third time this week, in a new muffin pan. (it was time for a new one after cheesy rice muffins) I seemed to have more batter than the previous two times... but I figured, That's okay, I'll just have bigger muffins. (perhaps this pan was smaller than the first) 

Bigger muffins would have baked without a hitch, but bigger and butter-topped muffins... eventually caused a smoke alarm across the alleyway to go off. Apparently the butter had slid off the tops of the muffins as they rose to double their usual sizes and dripped to the bottom of the 425° oven where it, of course, smoked like crazy. 

To again quote the ever-wise Julia: Cooking is one failure after another, and that's how you finally learn. Perhaps next time, I'll bury the butter just beneath the surface of the muffins... until then, I plan on enjoying these really good leftovers!

miraculously, the muffins survived the smoke scot-free!