Sinful Muffins and a Prayer

 

I have this great-aunt that is a fabulous cook. Her and her husband used to run a bed and breakfast not far from home. My girlfriends and I had the chance to stay there last spring before they had to close shop - and I'm so glad we had the opportunity! The place was full of my family history including a book full of love notes between my great grandma and grandpa. It was very sweet and quaint.

My great-aunt again has cancer and is now in the middle of fighting. I am appreciative of my great-uncle's CaringBridge journal as we are able to keep up with how she's progressing. I kept trying to think of something I could do to help or a special way to pray for her and I could only think of one thing: food.
She has a cookbook that was made for the bed and breakfast and it's full of stories and great recipes (many of which were made during our stay last spring). Our families were dairy farmers, so the butter and cream are not skimped out. I love it.

I decided that I would start to cook out of her recipe book in honor of her and hope that the extra positive vibes would be sent her way. The muffins I made are called Sinful Muffins - which seems a little backwards in terms of the prayer I'm trying to achieve, but they're so dang good. I can understand why they got their name.

Sinful Muffins

by Aggie

3 cup flour
3 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup orange juice
2/3 cup chocolate chips
One, 11oz can mandarin oranges, drained
2 eggs

Topping
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tbsp. melted butter

Mix sugar and oil, beat in eggs, add orange juice, chips, mandarin oranges. Mix dry ingredients, gradually add to liquid mixture, stir just until blended.
Ice cream scoop batter into muffin paper lined muffin tins. Preheat oven to 375*. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle on muffin batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 2 dozen delicious muffins.