Blueberry Muffins and a Moose

Yesterday Tinkerbell wanted to read "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" of the well-known "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" series by Laura Joffe Numeroff.  So we read it.  And read it.  And read it.  And read it.  Each time she laughed and laughed at the silly things the moose was doing.  So then we decided to make some muffins ourselves, using this fantastically unhealthy recipe from Colleen at All Recipes. (although we skipped the topping this time but I can testify that it is DELICIOUS...)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I substitute apple sauce)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

While they were baking we read the book another 4 times, and when the timer went off we tested a few and then decided to share some with our neighbors.  When we were walking out of the house to deliver them, Tinkerbell was holding the door open for me and announced "Here.....comes.....Big MAMA!"  Hmmmm....perhaps should have reconsidered the fourth mini-muffin.  Mental note to do Level 3 with Jillian later.

Finally, in attempt to keep the momentum going and I whipped up a little muffin "homework".  I drew some muffins w/numbers underneath them and Tinkerbell drew in the corresponding number of blueberries.  So simple, but she LOVED it. 

I am thinking that with a little advance preparation I could try to start following in the footsteps of the many amazing mom bloggers out there who everyday have themed activities that inspire, educate and delight their children.  Stay tuned, I'm a work in progress. 

And as an aside, here is a picture of The Bear at meal time.  One would think she was fighting over food with 6 siblings instead of one sister who eats like a bird.  I guess she just wants to make sure no one takes anything away from her before she's good and ready.