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2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
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2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
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2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
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2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
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Cookin' the Books: Perin Family Buttermilk Cake
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During the summers in Pennsylvania, if you saw Trigiani grandchildren running alongside the road, you knew Viola had them out collecting something. It was reminiscent of that scene in The Sound of Music in which the captain is driving home with the baroness (hiss) and sees all his children hanging from the big trees lining the roads. The only difference between us and the von Trapps is that they were having fun (151).
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
In a second bowl, mix the sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Combine, then measure out 1 cup and set aside.
Beat the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk into the mixture.
My thoughts on the recipe: My husband and I both LOVE this cake. It's fantastic. It is more moist than most cakes, with a kind of cobbler/pudding cake consistency. I don't know how to describe it, but trust me, it's divine.
Grade: A
Cookin' the Books: Barbara Hahn's Berried Medley Lemon Streusel Muffins
I'm going to start with a recipe that appeared in Karen MacInerney's murder mystery, Dead and Berried (see my review here).
Barbara Hahn's Berried Medley Lemon Streusel Muffins
Streusel Topping
1/4 c. melted butter
1/2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. finely shredded lemon peel
Muffins
2 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 T. finely shredded lemon peel
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. melted butter
1 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. (about 6 oz.) frozen berry medley (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and red raspberries) slightly thawed
1 T. flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Stir all streusel ingredients together in a small bowl to form a soft crumbly dough. Set aside.
Whisk dry muffin ingredients and lemon peel together in medium-sized bowl. In a separate medium bowl, combine all liquid ingredients. Add in dry ingredients and stir until almost fully incorporated.
Cut slightly thawed large berries in pieces. Leave small berries whole. Toss berries with 1 tablespoon flour to coat, then gently fold into dough, handling only enough to incorporate berries.
Line large muffin tin with paper muffin liners. Fill each muffin tin 1/4 inch from top. You will only use 9 out of 12 muffin holders. Fill empty muffin holders with water to 1/2 inch full.
Crumble streusel topping over each. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for anther 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and muffin springs back when pressed lightly with fingertips. Cool for 5 minutes in muffin tin and then serve on platter.
Makes 9 large muffins.
My thoughts on the recipe: These were good, although I usually like sweeter muffins. I liked the streusel topping, but I think I will add more sugar to it next time.
Since I didn't have a "jumbo muffin tin," I used a regular-sized one and filled the cups as full as I had to to use all of the batter. They ran over, so it's probably important to use the tin size suggested in the recipe :) I have to say, though, I'm glad the muffins ran over because they formed a sort of crisp muffin top, which I LOVED. It tasted sort of like a toasted VitaTop, except with more sugar and less fiber. Yum.
If I had to rate the recipe and the result (keeping in mind that I'm not the best baker), I would give it a B. Try it and let me know what you think.
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Reading
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
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Listening
If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell
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Followin' with Bloglovin'
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Grab my Button!
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2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
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2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
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