Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

I think it's high time I posted a recipe, don't you?  I don't even remember the last recipe I posted and that is sad.  Very sad.  So what better to rectify this pathetic situation than a good muffin recipe?  I've kind of been on a muffin kick lately.  They taste great with my other two-year-long kick, orange juice.  I love muffins.  Kyle loves muffins.  Jonathan doesn't care much about muffins, but that's fine; we feed him meat instead.  Any kind of meat.  But, I digress.

This recipe practically leaped off the page of a Southern Living magazine, begging me to try it.  It looked simple and summery, so I did.  What could be better than fresh strawberries with lemons?  Nada.

Begin by chopping up lotsa strawberries.  This is fun.  But not nearly as fun as the next step.....

.....This is my favorite part.  Well, besides eating the final product.  Are you ready for this?  Brace yourself..... Squeezing the lemons (!!!!).  See my nifty little lemon juicer gone measuring spoon?  Love this thing.  Paid nearly nothing for it at TJMaxx and it makes me squeal on the inside every time I use it.  Okay, having too much fun thinking about juicing lemons.  Also, you gotta zest them.  Get all the zest you can, this recipe calls for a ton.  I barely scratched the surface (pun intended, hehe) of what it called for, but, they turned out just fine.  I'm sure if you managed to get the whole tablespoon of zest, they would be even... lemony-er.

Next mix the self-rising flour and sugar together in a large bowl.  If you want to be like me, you can not have self-rising flour on hand and make your own.  If you don't wanna be like me, try not cutting your finger open on the baking powder can.  Why do they make the edge out of such sharp metal?  Ouch.  I type with a sliced finger wrapped in paper towel secured with Scotch tape.  I'm making a lot of mistakes and back spacing often.  Anyways, back to the dry ingredients.  Once they are really good friends, form a pit in the middle and set aside.

The wet ingredients are butter, sour cream, lemon juice and zest, and eggs.  Combine those until smooth and pour them into the dry ingredients.  Stir gently until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Fold in the diced strawberries.

Fill baking cups (or lightly greased pan) 3/4 full with batter.  I am so impatient.  To me it feels like this takes forever.  And might I propose that it takes even longer with a one-year-old hanging on my legs announcing (loudly) that he brought me his BUH-BAAS (bubbles).  Run along, Kyle, go find Daddy.  I'm sure he wants to blow your BUH-BAAS.

Really, is this positively irresistible child mine?  See the flour on his face and shirt?  He's really a big help.  I said, "Kyle sit down and smile" and this is what we got folks.  Edible.  Sweeter than Strawberry-Lemonade muffins.

Okay, okay.....When the cups are filled (I got twenty out of my batch), sprinkle the top of each one with sugar.  Pop them in the oven.  Oh me, oh my...... YUM.

Strawberry Lemonade Muffins

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1/2 c butter, melted
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups diced fresh strawberries

Oven: 400*

Combine flour and one cup sugar in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

Stir together sour cream and next 4 ingredients, add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold strawberries into batter. Spoon batter into lightly greased 12 cup muffin pans, filling 3/4 full. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar over batter.  Bake for 16-18 minutes or until lightly golden.

Let me know if you try them.  Let me know if you don't try them and I'll ask you, "Why not?"

~Abby

PS: Sorry some of my photos are blurry.  I am working with an old-itty-bitty-won't-focus-for-anything camera, as my sister has my nice one with her in CHINA. :o)