Once upon a time, my mornings were peaceful, bright, and full of ease.
Then I got married.
I’ve always been an early riser who values routine and a calm, slow start to the day.
Mr. How Sweet isn’t exactly the opposite — he’s more of a charming trainwreck.
You’ll soon see why muffins, and especially these, have become essential to my mornings.
Mr. How Sweet bounces out of bed at sunrise and makes a beeline for the bathroom — sometimes literally colliding with the wall.
What happens in the next hour is a blur to me because I’m usually at the gym, but I know it often includes him curled up on the couch watching country music videos or horse racing, clattering dishes loudly enough to wake the neighbors, frying half a dozen eggs because he thinks he needs more protein, or vacuuming his car at 5:30 a.m. because, apparently, that’s important.
By the time I get home he’s either gone or nearly ready to leave.
If he’s already left, he often makes one or two return trips for a forgotten wallet, iPod, or his man-purse stuffed with protein bars.
If he’s still home, the farewell routine becomes a comedy of small emergencies: he gives a quick kiss, goes to the garage, comes back up looking for his belt, kisses me again, then returns for a receipt he insists he needs even though it’s not relevant now. He’s a little type A — who knew?
Thirty seconds later he’s back asking if I’ve seen his iPod. No. I hear rummaging and doors slamming. When I’m in the shower I pretend not to hear him searching for his keys because it’s better for my blood pressure. He swears and yells, then calls out an “Okay, bye! I love you.” I take that as my cue to enjoy a few minutes of quiet.
Yes. Peace.
One morning ritual I do appreciate: he almost always loads or unloads the dishwasher. If he didn’t, it would never get done.
These muffins are the ideal mix of sweet and savory.
The tangy goat cheese mellows and picks up sweetness from the honey and vanilla. The texture is delightful — creamy from the cheese, crunchy from the figs, and tender from the batter.
Goat-Cheese-and-Honey-Stuffed Fig Muffins
Adapted from a recipe I enjoyed.
3/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 cups whole-wheat flour (I used half wheat, half white)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped dried figs
3 tablespoons turbinado (coarse) sugar
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Mix the goat cheese with the honey, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and the lemon zest until smooth and well combined.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in one bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the brown sugar and remaining vanilla. Stir in the buttermilk and olive oil.
Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry, taking care not to overmix. Fold in the chopped figs.
Spoon batter into the muffin tin so each cup is about half full. Add a teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture to the center of each, then top with more batter to cover. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over each muffin.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean.
Muffins like these are exactly what I need to survive the morning circus.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Also, I recently wrote a guest post for another blog — it was a fun collaboration and a chance to share more recipes.