Pistachio Muffins

Here's an easy treat for St.  Paddy's Day! 

Which is correct,  St.  Paddy's Day or St. Patty's Day?  It's actually St. Paddy's Day, from the Gaelic spelling,  which is Padraig.   My TV art is so appropriate for my table of scattered polka dots, muffins, and Irish Breakfast tea.  The shamrock plant will eventually go out into my yard where it will grow in a pot until later in the summer when some critter will sadly munch away at it overnight.  I'll enjoy it for awhile anyway. 

This Queen Anne teacup with shamrocks and flowers is a favorite.  I first saw this on my friend Margie's blog at Tea in the Valley one year, and was completely smitten and found one!  

The swirl of sugar, cinnamon and nuts in the middle of the muffin is so good!

Yield: 24 muffins or 2 loaves

Author: Kitty, but recipe is adapted from The Twelve Teas of Christmas

Pistachio Muffins or Bread

This recipe is good for both Christmas, St. Patrick's Day or any time. I adapted it for muffins in order to easily share, and changed the directions to flow better.

Ingredients

• For the muffins or bread:
• 1 box butter recipe or yellow cake mix
• 1 box instant pistachio pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup water
• For the streusel in the middle:
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• about 1/3 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pistachios + almonds)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease two loaf pans, or place muffin liners into muffin tins.
3. Mix the struesel ingredients together and set aside.
4. Mix all the muffin or bread ingredients together in a mixing bowl until well blended.
5. Fill the muffin liners or the bread pans with half the batter. Sprinkle with the streusel, and then add the remaining batter.
6. Bake for 45 minutes for the loaves or about 22-25 minutes for the muffins. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and let cool completely.

Notes

I did sprinkle some green sugar on top of the muffins before baking for some extra pizazz.

After my birthday brunch, little Hayden wanted to stay over and do a craft with Uncle Mike before I had to take her to her basketball game.  Harper was interviewed by someone from NICA (The National Interscholastic Cycling Association) before the big mountain bike race in all of North Texas.  Harper came in 2nd place, with the 1st place girl beating her by 20 seconds.  Both of the girls beat the older 6th graders by 3 minutes.  NICA uses mountain bikes as a way of building strong minds, bodies, character and community.  

Thank you for your visit!  xo

I'm sharing with these parties:

Talking About It Tuesdays

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage