Saturday Morning

I love Saturdays.  Who doesn't?

I have so many wonderful memories about Saturdays growing up.  Every Saturday my dad would make blueberry muffins.  There were so yummy, made with fresh ground whole wheat and blueberries from our yard or my grandpa's.  Most Saturdays involved doing chores around the house, inside and out.  In the Spring and Summer both sets of Grandparents would come over some Saturdays to help with big projects.  Or maybe just to see me and my sister, since we were the only grandchildren.

My mom says I used to organize my grandparents.  She claims I started this when I was 2 or 3.  Apparently, I would give them each a job around the house.  After we did the chores they would stay for lunch.  Over the years, they helped paint the exterior of the house, hang curtains, remodel the kitchen, help with the house addition, build a deck, and help plant and harvest the huge garden in the backyard.

We moved right before my 9th birthday to a new house.  It didn't need as much work and the grandparents came over mostly to spend time with us.  My dad still made blueberry muffins every Saturday.  My sister is very in to traditions, she wouldn't have let him stop.

I got married on a Saturday and so my last Saturday at home my dad made blueberry muffins.  This time they were Gluten-Free and the blueberries were from a u-pick farm, but they were still amazing.  I even have pictures of me eating my muffin and reading the paper waiting for it to be time to get ready.

So the first Saturday we were back from our honeymoon, I made blueberry muffins.  My sister had stocked our fridge with essentials so we didn't have to go grocery shopping right away.  She made sure there were blueberries in the freezer and a copy of the recipe on the counter.  However, in spite of the fact that I had made the muffins many times before this time they didn't turn out.  I did everything right, I followed the recipe exactly but those muffins would not cook.  They were supposed to bake for 25 min, I left them in the oven for over an hour and they were still doughy in the middle.  So Tyrone woke up to me crying in our new kitchen over blueberry muffins.  I'm sure he thought I was crazy to be crying over muffins, but I wanted to keep the tradition alive.  The next Saturday I tried again and was so mad at my oven.  Why didn't it like blueberry muffins?

I gave up on muffins and learned that my oven was cranky.  It would bake cookies fine and cook meats and casseroles fine, but it didn't like muffins.  So for Christmas 2009 my dad bought me a mini-muffin pan, thinking that maybe if they were smaller they would cook.  So the next Saturday I tried it out.  I got perfect mini blueberry muffins!  It was the best Saturday!

I wore that pan out this past year and now have two pampered chef ones that make amazing blueberry muffins.  So you are probably wondering, did I make blueberry muffins this morning?  Sadly, I didn't since I had to work this morning.  I did enjoy an Udi's Gluten-Free blueberry muffin from the freezer before I left for work but it just wasn't the same.

Maybe next Saturday I'll make blueberry muffins and invite the grandparents over to help finish painting our house.