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Warming the Heart

It is January... a month that brings to mind  warm fireplaces, afghans and sweaters. But sometimes warming our bodies is not enough, our hearts feel a chill and nothing warms the heart like sentimental thoughts.

I am perhaps more sentimental than most - and the sentimental attachment I have to many of the things in my home  keep me from 'decluttering'.

One of my recent additions to my sentimental 'heart warmers'  is the above gift from my dear friend, Judy.  She came over one afternoon so I could do her a sewing favor.  Knowing monetary thanks would be refused she found a way to reciprocate. She brought  me a gift. A beautifully wrapped box of  herbal tea and a unique tea cup set.  I love  the curves of this delicate cup and tray and of course it is in my favorite colors.  When I need a heart warming, I can make myself a cup of tea and sit for a few moments reliving the  happy memory of the afternoon Judy and I shared.

The Sunshine Muffins, pictured above, were  warm out of the oven and the coffee freshly made when my friend came.   The recipe is a long time favorite of mine that I have adapted to be gluten free. I love them because they are so quick and easy to make - don't take long to eat either !
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Sunshine Muffins

  • 1 whole orange (cut into quarters) 
  • 1/4 cup water 
  • 1/4 cup milk 
  • 1 lg egg 
  • 1/4 cup oil 
  • 3/4 cup sugar 
  • 1 1/2 cup Julie's Flour mix 
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum 
  • 1 tsp baking powder 
  • 1 tsp baking soda 
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  1. Put orange, water and milk into blender and pulse until perfectly smooth
  2. Add egg and oil and sugar, blend well 
  3. Mix dry ingredients and add to liquids and mix until smooth. 
  4. Fill muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 or 25 minutes 
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Note -  Sentimental is defined as "expressive of or appealing to sentiment, especially the tender emotions and feelings of love, pity, or nostalgia"  
and then I thought this definition for 'sentiment' interesting - "The thought or feeling intended to be conveyed by words, acts, or gestures as distinguished from the words, acts, or gestures themselves." ***************************************
How sentimental are you ? What stirs your sentimental feelings?

8 comments:

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  2. That cup and plate set is beautiful. I have never seen one quite like that with the curved plate.

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  3. What a beautiful unique tea set.

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  4. Very cozy....and sentimental. Nice definition, that. I met someone online who lives near a little town in Montana where I lived the first six years of my life. I shared some old, old pics and stories with her of the time (early 1950's). It was a Sentimental Journey.......I love your blog and read it almost every day. Have you ever read the blog, New York State of Mind? It's about a group of Amish and I love it to. They tell us about the "old ways", writing very sweetly, as do you, as well. Thanks so much. Kathie, in Odessa, WA (a settlement of Germans from Russia).

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    1. Thank you, Kathy ... you piqued my curiosity and I did a google of Odessa, WA - interesting history!

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  5. What a very unique tea set, love the colors and the style of it. I have a tea set that I received when my grandma died in 1982, that I cherish also. She loved to collected tea cups/saucers and had a china cupboard full of them. Love reading your blog. Cindy from Mitchell, South Dakota.

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  6. These sound delicious! If I used all purpose white flour what would be the amount? Do you have a substitute for the xanthan gum or can I just leave it out? You ladies have such wonderful recipes. Thanks! Judy

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  7. I'm coming here a little late and smiling as I see a familiar looking tea cup set...and remembering that afternoon and the delicious muffins and coffee we shared! Oh...and I challenge anyone who thinks they may not care for GF sunshine muffins to try these!

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