Glazed Orange Poppyseed Muffins #MuffinMonday

These bright sweet muffins have a snappy crunch when you bite into them. The orange juice and zest pairs nicely with poppy seeds and makes a sweet addition to a morning tea break, knitting club, or after school snack.

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Poppy seeds are not something I typically keep in my kitchen. I got out of the habit of eating them when I was in the military and subject to random drug testing. No desire for false positives--no muffin is worth that. How did I get from muffins to drug testing in a single paragraph? Back to poppy seeds, because it is #MuffinMonday and I've got poppy seeds on my brain.

Here's the thing (also the title of my current favorite podcast to listen to while working out in the basement)--I know oranges + poppy seeds rock the Salmon in the Company of Good Oranges. It stood to reason (in my mind) that, having a crisper drawer full of juice oranges and a container of poppy seeds left from an annual bowlful of pasta, I could swap the citrus in a poppy seed muffin.

I looked around online for Lemon Poppyseed Muffins Using Buttermilk. (I'm working on a soaked oat and buttermilk bread recipe and had plenty on hand. When it's 25 cents for a half gallon you tend not to hoard.) I didn't see anything that appealed, so I consulted my trusty red checkered Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I found a poppy seed muffin recipe that I used as a guideline for these tasty gems.

For more recipes using oranges, from a Marching Band Fruit Fundraiser or just because they are in season and on sale, please see my Orange Recipes Collection. It's part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me who have an alarming tendency to go big when it comes to seasonal produce. I'm sharing seasonal recipes on my FB page, pinning them to my Pinterest boards, and even giving you a taste of what's coming up on my Instagram feed. Want to know How to Use This Blog?

Sriracha Butternut Squash & Portobello Pizza

Spicy sriracha-seasoned grilled butternut squash and portobello mushrooms make a winter vegetarian pizza with a kick. You can break out the grill for this one if you dare.

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I'm pulling out another long-storing butternut squash from the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve for today's pizza. Friday nights are pizza nights around here, and I like to change it up to keep things spicy. Sriracha-spicy, that is.

The Sriracha I use is locally produced, House Made Sriracha. Until I started eating locally grown fruits and vegetables, and then eggs and beef, I never really thought about locally made sauces. It's neat how your horizons get expanded just by the simple act of choosing where to source your salad greens.

Shrimp Taco Bowls with Roasted Butternut Squash

A fresh way to spice up a winter salad, these taco bowls are filled with spicy shrimp and taco-seasoned roasted butternut squash cubes. The components can be made ahead and assembled when you're ready to eat.

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Winter squash are one of the gems of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. These long-storing vegetables (mine hang out in the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve for 3 to 4 months) can be roasted and pureed and added to anything from muffins [Herbed Butternut Squash and Cottage Cheese Muffins] to soup  [Stupefyingly Simple Butternut Squash, Chicken, and Rice Soup] to waffles [Butternut Squash Waffles]. They can be peeled and cubed or sliced for a colorful side dish [Colorful Roasted Squash & Potatoes] or main dish [Roasted Winter Squash Tacos]. While I am not usually in the mood for peeling acorn squash, it's a dream to cube up a butternut squash. Alanna has an excellent tutorial here. Heck, you can even buy it peeled, cubed, and ready to go if you need.

I was envisioning a seafood version of taco night, and looking to my Strategic Winter Squash Reserve for inspiration, when I decided to toss butternut squash cubes with taco seasoning and add them to a taco salad. The chunks added a nice flavor and texture contrast to our bowls, which is always appreciated in a winter salad. The shrimp kept things interesting, and with the color palette you can tell this is not your typical taco salad.

I'd like to point out that, by spending some time putting up produce when it's ripe, we can eat locally-grown produce year round. In this recipe I've use home-canned salsa verde, tomato salsa, and pickled peppers. If you've never tried canning, Food In Jars is a terrific book, and website, to help take the intimidation factor out of trying a new technique. Pick Your Own is another terrific resource.

For more recipes using butternut squash, please see my Buttercup/Butternut Squash Recipe Collection, part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient. This index is for folks like me looking for something a little different to do with the piles of squash stockpiled in the basement, or wherever you find yourself hoarding these terrific keepers. I've got a Pinterest board devoted to the squash recipes I find around the web, and I contribute to Laura's Winter Squash Lovin' board. Follow me on Pinterest for more recipe ideas.  Want to see what's up in my day? Follow me on Instagram. Want to read something that I thought worthy to share? Follow and Like my Facebook page. Want to know How To Use This Blog?