Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts! ~James Beard
We currently revel in wild berries picked up the road on the left hand side. Alas, the pickin’s are few and we also eat them out of hand so if we manage to pick a full cup and a half, what do you suppose we do?
We of course make muffins. Our memories of these years will be filled with muffins, served warm with butter. Such a quick treat to make from scratch, and so satisfying. Also, when you need a snack for 8 or 9 people, muffins are the way to go.
Where, you ask, did I find my fabulous butter dish?
I found my butter dish at Marshalls discount store for a mere 12.99. My friend Karen came over yesterday and exclaimed that she had the same one! I had a bee in my bonnet for months, to find one that would hold more than one stick of butter at a time and this one does. I put 2 sticks in, but with a little packing and smoothing I am sure it could hold three or four. It’s Portmeirion china, and my friend Christie collects it too, so I know she will be happy with my find. This butter dish will remind me of two very dear friends and plus, it is very pretty. Well worth the wait.
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Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
~grease muffin tin (this recipe makes between 10-12 muffins) or line with paper cups. I prefer not to use liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Make well in center, pour in egg, milk, and oil. Gently stir until slightly mixed. Add a teacup full of berries and lightly stir them into batter. Spoon mixture into muffin tins, place in oven and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Let rest in pan about 5 minutes then tip out over a wire cooling rack. Turn them over and sprinkle white sugar on top. Add a small pat of fresh butter. . . .and watch them disappear.
Good to be Home 
I’ve never been one to be in the kitchen before, but as my work schedule is on the fritz, it’s looking like I’ll be spending a lot more time at home. Which, in turn, means I could start learning how to cook and bake. And thanks for the great idea of MUFFINS! But, uh… I have no clue what I’m doing if it’s not the pour from a bag, add milk and bake kind. lol Any tips for a new ‘almost’ stay-at-home-mom who doesn’t know the kitchen?
@bamsniko22407 – Oh yes! I use a basic muffin recipe from the Better Homes and Garden’s cookbook. You mix your dry in a bowl, and then in another bowl, your wet. Then, pour the wet into the dry but DON’T over-mix! That is important. Stir until mixed but leave some little clumps in there. I don’t use liners in my muffin tins for muffins. Bake until they turn golden. Stick a toothpick in one to see if it comes out clean. After a while you will learn what it is supposed to feel like with just a quick touch of the finger on top. Very easy, I promise!
Love the butter dish! We love muffins over here too. We order blueberries every year from Michigan and tomorrow they will be ready! So muffins are definitely on the menu this week. =)The raspberries look wonderful too….I wish I could pick one right off my screen!Happy Day to you. =)
Yum! Our berries aren’t ripe yet, but the fruit truck will be coming Thursday with blueberries and peaches for us. Can’t wait!
Oh Yum. I always want to pop in to your kitchen and have a little time with you all. Great berries and recipe. Our berries are starting to come to an end…the blackberries and blueberries I mean, I think the strawberries will keep coming into fall I think I will surprise my gang with some muffins! We have 5 in the house right now
Oh, Bob was teasing me with the idea of a trip to the east coast last night. He said, “you could visit Shanda”. I hope, I hope. If not this Fall, maybe one soon after…we will see.
I just made homemade blueberry muffins a couple days ago. I think you could probably put any fruit in these? I’m thinking maybe some dried apricots and toasted almonds would be yummy! I don’t use liners, either. It makes a bigger mess and you miss eating ALL of the muffin! 🙂
@ABAHM – Don’t tease! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to meet you all!@fourkidsonemom – Yes, you could add all sorts of things. Also, any quick bread recipe could be baked into muffins. I’ve done zucchini several times. They’re good!
I love the butter dish! I already have two Portmeirion butter dishes, but I could certainly use a third, especially one that holds more than one stick. I foresee a trip to the store in my very near future.
I love muffins with butter melting though them!! We used to pick raspberries from the fence row, but never quite had enough to “make jelly” as we always begged for. Muffins would have been a great idea!! that butter dish is great. One stick of butter doesn’t last long around here either.
Those berries look wonderful!! I bet they tasted GREAT!!! ENJOY Suzanne
Those muffins look yummy, as do the berries!:) We love muffins around here & often make oat bran muffins to have for breakfast with eggs.:) I love the butter dish & would love to find one like that. More than one stick will fit? Oh, now THAT’s a BUTTER dish! It’s so pretty too.:)
Yummy!
YUMMY! We have some berries in the backyard you inspired me to go out and see if we have enough to make muffins!
@purpleamethyst76 – Thanks so much!!!!! I’m going to give it a try!
I’ve always enjoyed lingering in the china department and looking at the Portmeirion dishes! That size butter dish is meant to hold a pound of butter. Sometimes I see the pound butter available (maybe at Sam’s or Cosco) and us, 4 sticks is the same.
first… I love your butter dish!! I always am happy to have some muffins baking! 🙂 lovely