lemon poppyseed muffins & March pandemonium

The last day of what-a-March!  The grandchildren and my daughter-in-law are on their way to new lives in Minnesota (my daughter has to stay in NH a little longer for business), my son and his long time girlfriend got married , are expecting a baby, and bought a new house.  Zip, zip, zip.  Everything has happened so FAST.  I'm going to miss those children so much, but they assure me I can learn to Skype and maybe get a little glimpse of them growing up.

I've tried not to make these lemon poppyseed muffins because of the winter chubbiness I'm sporting under that coat, but I know it's there.  But first visit from the newly married couple called for them, and I remembered my son loving them as a boy.  

Perfect choice, and Rachel loved them.

I woke up to a sleet storm this morning, and made another batch - most to give away, but two for me.  I nibbled the sticky golden edges and wondered what on earth April will bring...

Happy end of March and on to Spring!  I actually saw my daylilies popping up next to the house, such a welcome glimpse of green!

Lemon Poppyseed muffins

Makes 10 or 12 Texas size muffins.

Preheat oven to 340F.
Grease two Texas size muffin tins (each tin makes 6)

zest of two large lemons
6 tablespoons poppyseeds
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 tablespoons milk
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened, room temperature

Grate the lemon zest into the mixer bowl and add the poppyseeds.  Stir in the flour, sugar, and baking powder.  With mixer on low, add the eggs, vanilla, and milk.  With mixture still on low, add the butter, a little at a time.

Mix until the batter is creamy, with no flecks of any cold bits of butter.

Using a standard ice cream scoop, scoop batter into muffin tins, two scoops per muffin cup. Place the muffin tins in upper third of the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes - the muffins should be fairly firm to the touch if you press the tops gently - and a lovely golden brown.  While the muffins are baking, make the glaze:

Lemon glaze

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
a pastry brush for brushing on muffins

Warm in a small saucepan until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer a few minutes, then remove to cool down.  

When muffins are done, remove from oven and brush each top with a little glaze.  Let the muffins cool and remove from tins to a cooling rack set inside a baking sheet - the glaze is sticky!  Brush each muffin mostly on the tops a few times, but also on the top edges.  

Enjoy!