…The virtuous use of leftovers:
Beloved, from bathroom where she is in bath with small (thus trapped and unable to patrol the kitchen) –
“I hear something! What are you doing out there?”
“Nothing, just, you know, putting stuff away”
“What stuff?”
“Um, dishes?”
“Why can I hear chopping?”
“I don’t know. What, do you have supersonic hearing now?” …whispering “usually you can’t hear me when I’m talking to you from two feet away”
“I heard that! And WHAT ARE YOU CHOPPING?”
“Nothing”…whispering veeery softly “rhubarb”.
Pause. General baby-bathing noises resume. Plug pulled. Bath toys clatter about. Small complaining about end of bath.
Back in the kitchen I am trying to bake and hide evidence as quickly as possible. Mainly this just makes more mess.
“Why are you opening the fridge?”
“Just looking in it.”
Footsteps approaching kitchen. Quick appraisal of scene of crime. “YOU’RE BAKING! I SAID NO BAKING UNTIL SUNDAY! IT’S TUESDAY!”
“Did you just want me to let this rhubarb go off? Did you want it to be wasted and thrown into the compost? SHALL WE JUST THROW SOME MONEY AWAY TOO?!!”
Thrifty Rhubarb Muffins
leftover rhubarb from Wintery Whinypants Cake approx 100 grams (after trimming leaves and ends off), finely sliced (finer than cake, as cooking time is shorter)
160 grams of self-raising flour, sifted
125 grams of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 egg
90 grams of ricotta
65 grams of unsalted butter, melted
handful of white chocolate pieces, originally intended as snack, sliced up finely and thrown in at end for the hell of it
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius (160 fan forced)
Line a muffin tin with cases, or grease it very well, or use the little flat-bottom-and-smooth-side paper cases that can just sit on a tray (you will need 9 or 10)
Mix the flour, sugar and chopped rhubarb in a medium bowl.
Mix the vanilla, egg, ricotta and butter in a small bowl/jug.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine.
Stir in the white chocolate.
Spoon into muffin tin/cases
Bake for 15-20 minutes. They are done when risen, golden and springy to touch.
“I’m not eating any.”
“Fine.”
“But I will take two to golf tomorrow.”