Peacemaker Mint and Sage Strawberry Muffins and yes...butter

Ok, so a peacemaker to me is generally a Colt - more lovingly, a Colt .45 (that'd be gun speak for those of you non-gun types).  However, I've officially dubbed these Peacemaker's thanks to what happened in my office after I brought them in.

The story (I feel like there needs to be dramatic music):  I just moved divisions at work ~2 months ago and needless to say, my new "boss" and I haven't always had the smoothest of relationships.  You know that video on the Discovery Channel of two rams locking horns on the side of a hill; locking horns on the side of a cliff?  Yeah.  Kind of like that. 

So I'm sitting at home and thinking I'd make some of my Mint and Sage infused Strawberry-Pineapple Jam that I'd promised one of my friends, but I just wasn't feelin' it; I wanted to bake something dangit (and my friend will get over it...they love me lol).  I decided, why the heck not put mint and sage in with strawberries to make a muffin?  Pft.  Rules.  Whatever.  There are no rules (well, ok, maybe a few to make things rise and all that when it comes to baking, but that just doesn't sound as assertive as "there are no rules in baking!") 

They smelled so delicious!  I had it hot right out of the oven and they were definitely awesome; different than what you'd expect...or at least what I expected: even better the next day!  I'll swear by saying they need a day for all of the flavors to marry into one.  I decided to bring them into work and lo-and-behold, one of the first people to grab one along with the butter was my "boss".  I kid you not, things have been SO much better!  Am I crazy to credit muffins with a better work life?  Maybe.  But I swear, the timeline works out!  I also have a LTC that is addicted to the butter, muahahaha!  I feel like I should have a shirt that says, "WINNER" on it.

Ok - I'm sure you're tired of reading now, so here goes. 

Same basic batter I use for the pineapple muffins, with the exception of the sugar.

Preheat Oven to 375

Sugar:
In a Food Processor, mix 2/3 cup sugar with apx. 6 sage leaves and 10 mint leaves; however much makes you happy really :)

Dry Ingredients:
'bout 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (add about 2T more)
2 teaspoons baking powder
The sugar
Combine and set aside

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted (I use sweet cream butter, salted)
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine

Batter:
Combine and mix dry ingredients in. Then add 3/4 cup chopped strawberries and mix well.
(If you're really into sugar - throw on a crumble topping)

Strawberry Butter:

In a food processor combine 1/2 cup room temp butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar til fluffy.  Add 1/4 cup strawberries (ROOM TEMP! lesson learned after the first time and after this pic was taken) and blend.



Holy Sauteed Pineapple Muffins (and an intro)!

Echoooo..echooo..echooo.  *ehem*  I feel as though I should be awkwardly standing in front of a conference room full of people trying to figure out how to introduce myself and post my first food blog.  First, I suppose I should go on like an Oscar's speech, "I'd like to welcome friends and family as well as potential new readers?  Here's hoping!"

Ok, now that the awkward part is out of the way; you'll get to know me through my random ramblings, odd timestamped posts (I seem to get most creative at night), semi-old school recipe styles (have a tendency not to measure exactly: It'll be ok, I promise!) and sharing personality.

I'm in the process of moving - packing up and all that other really fun stuff.  Naturally, I'm not a big fan of wasting food and I had a bag of frozen pineapple chunks in the freezer; what the heck am I going to do with pineapples outside of smoothies and yogurt?  Lying in bed and attempting to ignore the overzealous "get the hell up" meows out of Big Cat (aka: George), it occurred to me that I was hungry and wanted muffins.  BOOM!  A thought was born, and so were my Pineapple Muffins with Brown Sugar Pumpkin Spice Butter, because really, who doesn't like butter...? 

CAUTION:  The only healthy-ish items in this recipe are the muffins.  The butter is optional, do what works for your heart/lifestyle. 

Sauteed Pineapple:
 Apx. 1/2 - 2/3 cup diced pineapple chunks; I used frozen, I'm sure canned would be fine. (drain/thaw over a collander into a bowl to reserve juice)
1/4 cup or so brown sugar
'bout a Tablespoon of butter
Pumpkin Spice (Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, etc.)
Sautee til carmelized and tender - cool down

Batter:
'bout 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (add about 2T more)
a wee less than 2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Combine and set aside

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted (I use sweet cream butter, salted)
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine and mix dry ingredients in. Then add fruit and mix well.
(If you're really into sugar - throw on a crumble topping)

Bake at 375 between 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Don't worry if you accidentally overcook the outsides a bit (burned is one thing, a little "warm" is another and can be saved!).  Once they've cooled, dip the lower portion in the pineapple juice for a second and set it back on a cooling rack to soak in.

Butter (super easy):
1/2 cup of butter (room temp)
'bout 1/4 cup of brown sugar
some pumpkin spice (just wing it, I didn't measure lol)
Mix well. Chill in the fridge.  Really cute in a mason jar!