MUFFINS AND SHATNER

As promised, I left a bag of cherries out on the counter to defrost while I went outside to play with my rat, Biff (who ran away to the bushes again, that turd). Upon returning, my mother asked what I was doing. When I said making muffins, she said I should use the overripe bananas instead. So I did. Later. Midnight later, after being disappointed by both the Daily Show and Dirty Jobs being reruns. I used this recipe, tweaking it only slightly by adding a bit more sugar and a splash of vanilla.

They came out wonderfully. Probably the most handsome muffins I've ever made. Aided in part by the mad cool dinosaur cupcake papers (muffin tin liners? wrappers? what are they actually called?) I got at an olde-tyme five-and-dime store a couple weeks ago. Which was, incidentally, when I bought a bangin' Star Trek (the original, duh) tin and a nice piece of bling that has, as Anna predicted, gotten me many compliments. I didn't know what I was going to do with a tiny Star Trek tin when I bought it, but it was hinged and only $1.19, so it would have been stupid NOT to buy it. Plus, it's my firm belief that there is always a use for tiny tins - or jars, bottles, etc - even if you can't think of one at the time. I mean, look at that: I now have a place to store my earrings. Without impulse purchases, I'd be awash in a sea of mismatched earrings. (Though I might line it with some felt - green, of course - so there's no metal-on-metal violence.)

Still to come, Fourth of July breakdown. Watch out.