I Love the Smell of Blueberry Muffins in the Morning!

They smell like........victory.

Or heaven.  Take your pick.

Maine is known for blueberries.  My sweetie absolutely adores them and would happily sit down with a giant bucket of 'em, eating till he's stuffed and his clothes are stained with that juice that will never come out in the wash.

One of these days, we'll plant some blueberries around our house so we can have a constant supply to feed his addiction.  I think 5 or 6 ought to do it, right?

I'll save the blueberry waffles and pancakes for another time.  But for now, here's a recipe that will make your house smell amazing in the morning.  You've never had so many blueberries in one muffin before!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/double-blueberry-muffins-recipe/index.html

Maine......Makin' Whoopie (Pies, that is....)

Lately they've been dubbed the new cupcakes, or the new cake pops.  What we are basically talking about are two cake-like cookies, sandwiching the frosting of your choice.

So, of course, somewhere along the line they got dubbed "pies".  (Don't get me started on "where's the cake in cheesecake?")

Most normal people make them with chocolate cookies and vanilla frosting, but.....why be normal?  So I tried a carrot cake version with cream cheese frosting innards.

Ooooooooh, yeah.

Me & my sweetie liked the whole package.

Boychild preferred the cake part.  Girlchild the frosting.  Should have just tossed them one and let them divvy it up, I guess.    

They almost overshadowed the lobster mac n'cheese.  Me & my sweetie liked it.  My sweetie even went back for seconds.  (Think a cheesy alfredo sauce, but you switch out the linguine for mafalda pasta and add some tasty lobster bits.  Yum!)

Since it didn't come out of the familiar blue box, of course the kids wouldn't touch it.

Sigh.

At least there's always the "five reliable" foods we can count on in a pinch to feed 'em, right?  ;)

But if you would like to enjoy some whoopie with YOUR sweetie, here goes....

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/carrot-cake-whoopie-pies/6a9e7a53-cfdb-482e-8c3d-be35d640208e

Welcome to the beginning of this virtual "road trip" through America.  Like all journeys, there's no way to tell exactly what will happen, or when, or how.

I love this country, even when it aggravates the ever livin' hell out of me.  I hope my family gets to see all the richness and beauty of this land someday.  For lots of reasons (no time, not enough money, and traveling with two little kids is a special version of torture I don't really enjoy), actually taking them to several of the "389,478 places to see before you get a root canal" isn't possible.

I may never get to take them home to Arizona to show them the Grand Canyon or Meteor Crater, but dammit.....I sure as hell can whip up a chimichanga and tell them the story behind its creation no matter where I happen to be at the moment, right?

So....let's start this thang!  You can ride shotgun, or even be a "backseat driver".  No worries about getting carsick, coming across a disgusting gas station bathroom, "did we miss the exit?" or the Motel from Hell with the green pool.

Like any good road trip, we may stay awhile in a place if we like it.  No reason we can't spend a month of Fridays in places like Louisiana or Texas or California, right?   And from time to time, I might even ask the peanut gallery if they have suggestions for an upcoming destination.

Only rules?  No pizza (unless it's Chicago Deep Dish.....we'll get there, relax!) and no burgers.  That's too easy.  

It's all good.  Enjoy the ride!