Linderhof


Gardening, Cooking and Decorating on the Prairie of Kansas


Welcome to Linderhof, our 1920's home on the prairie, where there's usually something in the oven, flowers in the garden for tabletops and herbs in the garden for cooking. Where, when company comes, the teapot is always on and there are cookies and cakes to share in the larder.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The Daily Breakfast at Linderhof . .

The Daily Breakfast at Linderhof
is eaten in the breakfast room
It is -- after all -- the
breakfast room!

But the daily breakfast is not a breakfast of
biscuits and gravy
omelets
frittatas
bacon and eggs

Those, mostly, are weekend breakfasts

Our daily breakfast is quite standard fare


However, I believe in setting a nice table
With tablecloth and napkins
Often coffee (or tea) in a ceramic pot
And often a little surprise


Like these chocolate chocolate chip zucchini raspberry muffins


They make the mundane cereal and berries and juice
more special.

Blue and white is our "daily dish"
And we mix them and mix them often
Husband Jim likes a deeper bowl for his cereal
(Spode Blue Room)
while I like a shallower one
(Spode Camilla)
My coffee cup is Spode Blue Italian
Husband's coffee cup is with him on the porch --
He hasn't come in for breakfast yet!
Milk for the cereal in a Wedgwood blue creamer
Coffee served Johnson Brothers Indies
(my only blue transfer ware coffee pot)
Flowers are in a old blue and white milk pitcher

The napkins are homespun
And the tablecloth is lace


Mother taught me that if you do something,
do it nicely.
She often used tablecloths and always real napkins
whenever we ate.
I follow suit.

It's not all that much more work
And it makes even a juice and cereal breakfast
seem more special.

The muffins are awesome.
If you like chocolate,
If you like raspberries
And they've got zucchini in them as well
So they cover the basic three food groups
(vegetable, fruit, chocolate)

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI RASPBERRY MUFFINS

1 2/3 c. flour
1/3 c. plus 1 T. cocoa powder, sifted
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 T. instant espresso dissolved in 1 T. water
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. sour cream
1 cup finely grated zucchini 
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
4 oz. fresh raspberries
Powdered sugar for dusting

Heat the oven to 350.    Butter and flour or use muffin cup liners in a 12 cup muffin tin.   

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the eggs and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, lightened and somewhat increased in volume, about 1 minute.    Add the reconstituted espresso, the vanilla, oil, and sour cream and mix again for 1 minute.     With the mixer running on a very low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet, beating just until combined and stopping to scrape down the sides of the mixer when necessary.     Add the zucchini and mix until just combined.     Stir in the chocolate chips and raspberries.    Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.

Bake until the muffins are fully risen in the middle and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.    Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.    Dust lightly with powdered sugar (only if serving right away).   



It's Thursday and I'm sharing my breakfast table with Susan at Between Naps On the Porch for Tablescape Thursday







6 comments:

Pondside said...

Your mother was so right, Martha. 'Do it right' - it takes little effort and gives such enduring pleasure.

Elizabethd said...

I quite agree. It's the way I was taught also.

Anonymous said...

Looks both beautiful and delicious...

Pat said...

Martha,
I L O V E your breakfast tablescaape in the "Breakfast Room", dear friend!!!
The muffins appear simply divine!!!
Thank you for sharing the recipe, as well!!!
It's a tad bit too warm for coffee on the deck. . .but soon, very soon. I'm so ready to embrace the Autumnal cool mornings, warm days and breeze filled evenings that are common on this side of the Prairie!
Fondly,
Pat

Maria C said...

I grew up this way, too, but, boy, modern life, doesn't make it easy to keep to tradition! Our mornings are so rushed, we barely get a chance to even pour out coffee in a mug. But I do try to make up for it on the weekends. The muffins look wonderful!

Unknown said...

I love your mother! She was exactly right! Do it well! I love your breakfast tablescape. Wish I had a breakfast room as pretty as yours. The muffins look wonderful! I will have to make some. Thanks for sharing.
Blessings My Friend,