peanut butter and jelly muffins

Yes, juvenile things just exploded all over your computer screen when you clicked this link, but I hope you like it. At first I was going to apologize for the tacky picture and seemingly childish food but then I decided against it because it kind of fits the mood I’m in. And so do these muffins.

Lately my taste buds have been reverting back to their 10 year old former selves and encouraging me to eat things like plain cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, plain rice with butter, tater tots, popcorn and Little Debbie cakes. I’ve not considered adding saffron to my rice, or opting for salad, or reading the ingredients and making a wise decision to not consume massive amounts of hydrogenated oils. I even bought a giant bag of jelly beans! Yeah, you can judge me if you want, that's OK. I’m confident that one day soon I will be back to my vegetable juicing, fruit smoothie, robust curry, making self. Until then, I’m happy to eat popcorn for dinner and say OK to cookies for breakfast. This is just a phase like any normal (adult) 10 year old.

I was not even planning on coming up with something for a blog post. I came home from work the other night and it was cold, raining hard and I was in the mood for something....um, simple. Then it struck me that I really wanted a pb&j. like bad. But I guess not bad enough to brave the rain and wind and cold to go buy some bread. And like a light bulb it struck! Peanut butter muffins stuffed with jelly- I think that's what the Dali Lama might eat for dinner if he could. I googled "peanut butter and jelly muffins" and whole bunch of smuckers and goobers stuff came up. I’m consuming lots of preservatives now but I’ll be damned if I’m actually going to make hydrogenated crap for myself. That would have required going to the store anyway. And making things like that for myself just seems all wrong- that's Little Debbie’s job. Besides, I’ve yet to find a bottle of corn syrup solids in the baking aisle. I could feel the Force was with me so I went to the kitchen and like I had made these 1,000 times before I came up with what might be the ultimate (juvenile) muffin.

The title posted plus my ranting (and recent love of) preservatives and junk might lead you astray, but rest assured that like any other sweet-tempered recipe this one is quality all around. Organic natural peanut butter, spelt flour, jam without the added sugar, and only a little agave nectar for sweetener. However, I didn't stand in my kitchen trying to decide whether I should grind some cinnamon fresh, or de-seed a vanilla bean, or contemplate the flavors of peanuts and cardamom and would they go good together…..? It’s straight to the point here, folks. So if ever a childish sweet-toother (I’m leaving that typo 'cause I like it) strikes, or perhaps you are entertaining children, or maybe you are home alone during a thunderstorm and REALLY want a pb&j but don't have bread- this is the recipe for you. So grab the (soy) milk and chow down. Because unlike other peanut butter and jelly things, this is actually pretty good for you!

-this recipe made exactly 11 muffins for me. But I think I could have either stretched it a bit for 12, or given a little extra to each for 10. 'Sup to you- sweet-tempered reader. This can probably count under the "how much peanut butter to ratio" discussion that inevitably comes up while discussing pb&j's- it's my humble opinion to load both on without reservations. When it's dripping out the bottom of the sandwich you know it's a good one. I just happened to have smooth, creamy peanut butter but I feel when it comes to sandwiches crunchy peanut butter reigns champion. I also think it would be awesome in this recipe.

you will need these:
2 medium size mixing bowls
wire whisk
rubber spatula
muffin tin

dry mixture:
1 1/2 C spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

liquid mixture:
1/2 C creamy natural organic peanut butter
2 T neutral vegetable oil
1/2 C agave nectar
1/2 C soy milk
1 T apple cider vinegar

1/4 C-or so- jam or jelly (try using all natural, fruit juice sweetened varieties. i happened to have black cherry and that was some delicious stuff)

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

grease the muffin tin or line with paper cups

to assemble:

combine all the dry ingredients and set aside

whisk the vinegar into the milk and set aside

whisk the peanut butter, oil and agave nectar until nice and smooth (this is extremely tasty, by the way) and then whisk in the milk and vinegar mixture

add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined

plop into the greased muffin tin. then, with a small spoon put about a teaspoon of jam/jelly right into the center of the batter. if you are a 'lot's of jelly person', go for more. you can't mess this up

bake for 18-20 minutes or until the muffins give just a little to the touch

i can't stress enough how you should at least 2 of these warm right out of the oven. this is some of the best tasting juvenile stuff you will ever put in your mouth.

see? even my jokes are immature.