Thimbleanna

Boston Brown Bread Muffins

1/2 cup (2 0z/60 g) rye flour
1/2 cup (3 oz/90 g) yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) whole-wheat (wholemeal) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) buttermilk
1/3 cup (2 oz/60 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (4 oz/125g) molasses
1 egg
1 cup (5 0z/155 g) raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter standard muffin tins.

In a medium bowl stir and toss together the rye flour, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sugar, oil, molasses and egg until smooth. Add to the combined dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Stir in the raisins, if desired.

Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in the tins for a moment, then remove.

Makes about 12 standard muffins.

Blogged about here.

Appetizers:

Breads:

Soups/Salads:

Main Dishes:

Side Dishes:

Desserts:

Misc:

Boston Brown Bread Muffins

25 Comments / Recipes / March 23, 2014

I had an oddly sad experience today. I was reading this post about a crochet edged pillow. As I scrolled down the post, when my eyes first caught sight of the pillow, a flash raced through my mind. It was just a snippet of a pillow I made when I was young. I continued to read and then, Bam! Another flash!

It drove me crazy. What were these little flashes?  They seemed familiar and left me with a warm feeling, but I just couldn’t place them. I held my head in my hands with my eyes closed for a few minutes … thinking … thinking. It made me so sad that try, hard as I might, I just couldn’t get that memory back.

All I have to go on, is that edge of the pillow. It wasn’t crocheted, but rather, big loops sewn with yarn — I can clearly see them and I wish I could remember how to do the stitch. I think I made several of them and I’m pretty sure they were pillows made of washcloths (which sounds really awful!), but I still can’t “see” the front of the pillow. And judging by my reaction to the memory flashes, I think I loved making them. Maybe MyDadLovesMeBestSister remembers them? It’s funny, over the years, I’ve thought of lots of things I made when I was young, but I don’t remember ever thinking about those pillows. Isn’t it weird how just a glimpse of something, seemingly so innocent, can trigger a flashback? It’s sad that my memory board seems to have a short in it.

Ah well, onto something from the here and now. Last week, Jody posted this recipe for Creamy Sausage Stew and I decided to give it a try. It was delicious! After a few bites, TheManoftheHouse said “This is really good!”  And then, when almost finished, “I don’t remember having this before, but this is REALLY good!”  Clearly, his memory is better than mine!

Thimbleanna: Boston Brown Bread Muffins

I had big plans to make some artisan bread to go along with it, but I dropped the ball and didn’t get the dough prepped in time. Instead, I opted for a quickbread that we enjoy with hearty winter meals. Just in case you decide to try Jody’s great recipe (and you should!), I thought you might like some muffins to go along with it

Boston Brown Bread Muffins

1/2 cup (2 0z/60 g) rye flour
1/2 cup (3 oz/90 g) yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) whole-wheat (wholemeal) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) buttermilk
1/3 cup (2 oz/60 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (4 oz/125g) molasses
1 egg
1 cup (5 0z/155 g) raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter standard muffin tins.

In a medium bowl stir and toss together the rye flour, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sugar, oil, molasses and egg until smooth. Add to the combined dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Stir in the raisins, if desired.

Spoon into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in the tins for a moment, then remove.

Makes about 12 standard muffins.

Thimbleanna: Boston Brown Bread Muffins

Now, if you’re in the northern hemisphere, you’re all prepared for the next polar vortex. You know it’s coming — it’s only February! ;-D

XOXO,
Anna

25 thoughts on “Boston Brown Bread Muffins”

  2. Janet

    I have had the memory mystery happen before. Usually the memory will fully reveal itself when I least expect it and am doing something else.

    Bread looks really good.

    Janet

  3. Jan

    Recently, a vintage, jeweled basket pin popped up in my Pinterest feed and immediately I remembered a little jewelry craft set I had when I was 4. (I clearly remember the house we lived in at the time, from which we moved right before I turned 5). Anyhow, it came with several pin designs that each had little indentations and a selection of colored ‘jewels’ to be glued in to complete them ~ and, of course, one was a basket! I find this jogging of old memories to be fascinating! Who knows what we have locked in there, just waiting for some little nudge? (Is that the ultimate karmic justification for Pinterest? Ha!)
    Love brown bread (family being from Boston) and love muffins ~ must try these!

  7. driftwood

    my memory is dreadful, it is one of the reasons I love blogging, I can use my archives to help me remember things I’ve made.
    would it horrify you to know I lived north of Boston for nearly 3 years and never ate Boston Brown Bread……………. (or maybe I did and I’ve forgotten……….)

  8. lucy locket

    Hello lovely Anna! I find it tantalizing when those fragments of long forgotten memory pop up! It can be really frustrating can’t it? I hope more comes back to you xx

  11. Linda

    I think the polar vortexes are the cause of the memory slowdown. For sure. It has just been too much this year. It will all come back clear as a bell when spring arrives. Soon I hope! Thanks for the new recipe. It sounds great!

  12. Judy

    Those look so YUMMY!! I’ve had flashes but mine are with songs. I hear a song and BAM I’m sitting back in my 8th grade geography class with Mr Smith. Not sure why it’s always that class, maybe because he was sooooooo coooooool and let us listen to music during class.

  13. brigita

    one day in a random thrift shop, you’ll find a washcloth pillow that will jog that old memory of yours…. the muffins look great, i’ll try them this week. i got nothin’ today. i have to get crackin’ at work so i’m leaving you now.
    bon voyage

  15. frayed at the edge

    My friends and I don’t have anything as boring as a “senior moment” when we can’t remember something ……. we have a “craft moment” ……. as in “can’t remember a ******* thing” (not that any of us would say such a naughty word!!).
    I’m sure one day soon, when you are thinking about soething else, the memory will pop into your head.
    The food looks delicious!!

  16. Jen

    I don’t like kale but I’m willing to try this recipe. I’m sure my husband would like it. Is “German sausage” the same as Polish kielbasa?? I’m only familiar with Italian sausage and kielbasa. ;)

  18. sue

    Your dish looks delicious and so scrumptious. One day that memory will come back and you probably wont expect it. God I have trouble sometimes remembering where my car is parked in the carpark!

  19. Cassie Jones

    I saw that recipe on Jody’s blog and was going to give it a try. Now I am for sure going to do it!
    As far as that pillow goes—hope the memory comes back soon. I had a similar experience with a person at the bank today. I know that I know her. I can almost place her, but not quite. I remembered that she had two children, but…that’s all. Grrrrr. At least, she said the same thing about me. That would have been embarrassing if she remembered everything about me and I remembered nothing!!!

  20. Robin Brown

    When I was young my Mom used to have a brown bread that was bought in a can…hope someone else remembers this and don’t think I’ve gone loo-loo. I wonder if your muffins taste anything like it? Also, I know you used to have a list of internet friends, blogs, sites, whatever and I used to explore your interesting friends. Could you direct me to where I might find it on old month & year please. I also remember the year that you listed many people that had quilted in a contest(?) That was really interesting too. Wasn’t it nice today (before the rain/wind storm). The Flower & Patio Show will be soon and we can smell flowers and grass to tease the senses… Also bought plane tickets to meet my sis & B-I-L in Key West in April…yippee. They are doing a cross-country baseball extravaganza and have 5 extra days we are going to “take it easy” in the Keys…Can’t WAIT! Be safe and well

  21. Cindy

    That stew looks similar to Sauerkraut Stew that our church used to make for the Feast of the Hunter’s Mon in Lafayette. Soooo good!

    Are you mourning the loss of our snow this week? I am as like you I love the snow. Have been skiing this winter and couldn’t figure out why people kept looking at me. Then I realized the grey haired lady in her… cough, cough.. late 50’s was one of the older people on the hill! Oh well, it’s keeping me young.

  22. Krista

    The only thing I can think is that Aunt Ann (I think- hmm-maybe you) made a baby blanket for Susanna (I think)- it was blue flannel with little sheepies and it had this crochet stitch (I think) around it.

    Hmmm, I think …….. oh, I can’t remember what I was going to say!

  23. Jody

    It tickles me that TheManofTheHouse liked the sausage stew. I think it’s very much “man food” but “I like it too.” (flashback: Irish Spring soap commercial!)

    I don’t remember anything I made from long ago so you’re way ahead of me in your memory board.

    Boston Brown Bread. I am SO making it! I can taste it right now. Thanks for sharing your recipe. It looks perfect next to my recipe!

  24. Emily

    Yummy muffins! Seriously they look SOOO good, I just copied the recipe. I usually drop the ball on making bread or buns and I end up making biscuits, it is great to have a recipe that doesn’t call for butter.

    p.s. love the tumbler quilt!

    Emily

  25. Emily

    Well I did make these, about four times since I found the recipe. My 2 year old loves them. With new baby goats I have tonnes of milk so I’m sure I’ll be making these much more often! I shared your post on my blog and I discovered that you have lots more fabulous recipes! Great collection, I’ll be stopping by again for some food ;)

    Emily

Comments are closed.