Butter and Rest: the Un-Resolution Edition

“At the beginning of a new year, many people have nothing better to do than to make a list of bad deeds and resolve from now on –how many such ‘from-now-ons’ have there already been!– to begin with better intentions, but they are still stuck in the middle of their paganism. They believe that a good intention already means a new beginning; they believe that on their own they can make a new start whenever they want. But that is an evil illusion: only God can make a new beginning with people whenever God pleases, but not people with God. Therefore, people cannot make a new beginning at all; they only can pray for one. Where people are on their own and live by their own devices, there is only the old, the past. Only where God is can there be a new beginning… (this) is liberation from the murderous law of incessant beginnings.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

It is New Year’s Eve, which means that as you read this, you may be tempted, drawn into the lies of self-improvement and self-help and this may be skewing your otherwise healthy view of carbs and plenteous Sabbath breakfast feasting. Resist the lies, my friend! Don’t lose your head just because tomorrow is January 1st. However, I do think a lot of us are feeling the desire for a reset after the richness of Advent and Christmas, a breather before Epiphany, if you will, and so today I am offering you a simple, wholesome muffin with a surprise.

And we do love surprises around here, don’t we?

https://cookingbythebook.com/recipes/monday-july-16-cornmeal-muffins-raspberry-jam-flour/

I feel like a bit of a hack not writing this whole recipe out, but some blog I’ve never heard of did it for me and… yep, I guess I am recipe-writing lazy. But I do need to send out some mad props to Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery, because her baking book, entitled Flour, has been one of the best recipe books of 2022 for me. It was a gift from a family friend when I played their daughter’s wedding ceremony and I have gotten a ton of use out of it. Somehow, she makes high-end bakery quality goods attainable, and I have to tip my hat to that.

This particular muffin recipe comes together really quickly, can be made the night before, and is fun to make with a kid because you get to whisper about how you are the only 2 that know these are not ordinary corn muffins and you giggle when Daddy bites into it. Or… we would have giggled if Daddy hadn’t inhaled the entire muffin by the time we glanced up. Still a good sign, I think.

“I believe that God can and will bring good out of evil, even out of the greatest evil. For that purpose He needs men who will make the best use of everything. I believe that God will give us all the strength we need to help us resist in all times of distress. But He never gives it in advance, lest we should rely on ourselves and not on Him alone. A faith such as this should allay all our fears for the future. I believe that even our mistakes and shortcomings are turned to good account, and that it is no harder for God to deal with them than with our supposedly good deeds. I believe that God is no timeless fate, but He waits for and answers sincere prayers and responsible actions.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer, New Year’s 1943

Happy New Year!