Thrift + Creativity = Empowerment + Joy
7 May 2010 by Jean JohnsonI’m including these Astonishing Muffins in Grow Your Own, accompaniment as they are to Laurel & Carol’s Astonishing Spinach Salad.
I don’t have the recipe written up just yet, but I did dutifully put dried apricots in along with walnuts. Just the kind of muffin people would think is fun alongside the salad.
But, after behaving so well momentarily, I went back to my usual approach to cooking. I was on a muffins roll, but I certainly didn’t mess with the muffin tins again, pain in the neck that they are–both in fussing around with the knife to get each muffin out (and no I don’t want to use those paper cup thingies) and in washing the tins.
So it was back to cast iron as usual. My small pan since it was just me for breakfast. And yes, the center wasn’t quite done because of the size of the pan. And yes, I ate it anyway. And yes, it tasted as good as those chocolate lava cakes that came to be all the rage in precisely the same fashion: someone underbaked the cake and said, “This gooey part is the best!”
The vehicle shift was just the tip of the iceberg of course. The apricots and walnuts were gone. In their stead were two green apples, meat from half an acorn squash, and poppy seeds.
Which brings me to the real gist of this post: using your great big winter squashes. So many ways here besides freshly baked. Baked winter squashes whether acorns or spaghettis or butternut go into everything and anything: quick breads, warm salads with wintergreens and raisins, and pudding like custards or pies. Then again think sauces or gravies and get creative. Smash some of your winter squash into a roux of butter and flour, and whisk in milk. You’ll have a rather interesting brew for your broccoli.
I was reading in Rick Bayless’s work the other day and he noted how exceptionally creative Mexican cooks are. I snorted because in my mind he missed the point. It’s not Mexican cooks per se, it’s impoverished cooks. As in necessity breeds invention.
I know it’s been this way for me, divorced as I am from the land of crinkly packages in part because it’s too expensive. Without all those goodies around, I have to cook from scratch. Have to make use of things in the refrig like great big winter squashes. And in the process I discover over and again all kinds of delightful ways to spin food.
It’s like the difference between being a spectator at a sport and the actual players. The former sits and consumes and gets dull. The latter is up and active and engaged. She plays a vital roll in what comes down. She feels good. She’s empowered.
2 Responses to “Thrift + Creativity = Empowerment + Joy”
Jean,
Have you tried making them in a CI muffin pan. When I make muffins /biscuits I use my cast iron muffin pan. To keep my muffins from sticking, I put a little olive oil (use OO no matter if I am making sweet or savory) in each well and then stick it in the oven as the oven is heating up. Once the oven is ready I take the CI muffin pan out and then put my batter into the wells and as I do this I hear it sizzle. It sears the outside without burning and my muffins come out moist and delicious and have yet to stick. My husband also makes mini cakes with it and the first time he made them in my CI a couple stuck. The next time he mad them he did the pan the way I do and they did not stick. Just a thought / sugesstion. Have a wonderful evening / day.
By Rose Curran on May 7, 2011
Heating cast iron before you put batter in it is an old Southern trick. They always did that with their cornbread. Cool that you’re cruising with that technique Rose.
By Jean Johnson on May 16, 2011