Banana Crumb Muffins

My idea of a perfect afternoon is one where I don't have class, and have some free time without any of that pressing homework that has to be done now or never. On these afternoons I like to bake. 

I make sure my apartment is perfect and clean, the animals are all happy, candles are lit, and pandora is playing some version of a love song. 

Once everything is beautiful and perfect I begin. I preheat my oven and pull my beloved pink Kitchenaid away from the wall. No matter what I bake I know that this is a time of relaxation and healing. There is nothing better than baking to make a stressful day better. 

There is something simply magical about turning inedible things like flour and raw eggs into an edible little gift that can make anyone smile.

There is also something so reassuring about baking. It reminds me of a quote from the move Julie and Julia. When Julie is asked what she loves she says this, "Chocolate cream pie! You know what I love about cooking? I love that after a day when nothing is sure and when I say nothing, I mean nothing. You can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. That's such a comfort."

Middle Eastern Tabbouleh

 

I completely missed my birthday. No, not my real birthday, but something almost as important: my blog's first birthday. The Fox Foodie turned one year old on January 30th and no one but me knew anything about it!

I was planning on having a birthday celebration. I thought it would be appropriate to blog a cake recipe of something of that sort like 17andBaking did on her first birthday, but there was a huge dilemma that stood in my way.

My hard drive crashed.

I was without a computer for over a week. And no computer equals no blogging. So, now I am celebrating my first birthday. Not with cake, but with tabbouleh. (Oh, and I bought myself a copy of Will Write for Food as a gift!).