Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Pecan Muffins by

Anna Vernick

Ingredients

Ingredients for muffins:

2 eggs

1 banana

1/2 vegetable oil

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 cup peanut butter

1 3/4 + 1/4 cup white rice flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup pecans (crushed)

Ben’s Corner

Directions

1. Preheat oven for 4to and line 12-cup muffin tin with muffins.

2. In a mixing bowl, add the 2 eggs and beat with an electric mixer for about 1 minute.

3. Add banana, vegetable oil, and brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer until combined.

4. Add the milk, peanut butter, and vanilla bean paste and beat again until combined.

5. Add the white rice flour, salt, and baking powder to a separate bowl. Then add the wet ingredients slowly, beating the mixture as you add.

6. Once well combined, fold in the crushed pecans. At this time, you could also add other add-ins you want, like chocolate chips.

7. Spoon about 1/3 of a cup into each muffin cup. You want to fill the cups well so the muffins will rise better. This batter makes about 21 muffins, so you’ll have some leftovers.

8. Cook for 19-23 minutes or until muffins are golden brown. Remove muffins from tins and place them on a rack to cool.

9. As the muffins cool, microwave the peanut butter in 10-minute intervals until it has a honey-like consistency.

10. Drizzle the peanut butter over the muffins. Add pecans on top to taste.

Topping:

4 tablespoons of peanut butter

1/3 cup crushed pecans

Spring and cleaning go together like peanut butter, jelly, peas, and carrots (or so the sayings go!) What, then, are some top Spring organizing that helps kick-start your Spring cleaning?

1) Use the throw-away, keep, donate method by choosing a room or area and three boxes. Sort each item appropriately, and then remember to donate that week so that you are not storing or leaving these items in your car.

2) If you are in cold weather states, start organizing your closets where most of your cold weather gear is stored. Use the above method to help with this process.

3) Think Small (junk drawers, under bathroom cabinets, and kitchen sink.) Starting with smaller projects gives you a sense of accomplishment and almost instant gratification.

4) Go through bookshelves and TV/electronic areas. These can catch all areas that affect the room’s overall aesthetics.

5) Organize dressers and closets. Although this may seem daunting, setting aside an afternoon almost always puts a good dent in this organizing project.

6) Assess what needs to be done the most, make a list, and schedule this spring organizing project.

If you are still motivated, then begin detail cleaning of each room by washing walls and floorboards, deep cleaning carpets, and caring for window treatments. Enjoy your betterorganized home and consider summer or fall deep cleaning if you are cleaned out.

So, welcome Spring with open arms and a betterorganized home!

• Skip Small Talk

• Ask for their opinion on a topic

• As for an update

• As a question that you know interests them

• Consider asking open-ended questions

• Ask about a local news event that is not controversial

• Ask about their favorite sports team or restaurant

• Know when to end a conversation