Spontaneity-

Today, I am being spontaneous, which is completely unlike me.

As I look at my profile- a sum of all of my likes, interests, beliefs, and morals- I am sure that "spontaneity" should just fit in there- right in like a lint-covered, trampled-over little puzzle piece.  I currently have a lot of excuses for not being spontaneous- motherhood, wife-y-hood, home-owner-y-hood; but I say "lint-covered" and "trampled-over" as I would like to add "spontaneity" to that list of qualities I wish I own but never really have.  On the contrary, I can't say that I have a routine, as I don't have a set time when I really do anything- but I will call that a "lack of self-discipline" and not quite "spontaneity."

Wait- wait one minute.  Let's call it "spontaneity!"

Today, I will take my shower at... 6:45 AM.  Tomorrow, 8:00, and Wednesday- I won't even take one at all.  I am so spontaneous!  I am one fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl.  You never know what's going to happen when you are around me.  Crazy life- this- the one I lead.

Yep.

Spontaneous.

But really- last night I thought while looking at a very empty day-planner for Monday, "What if I took the kid to Charleston for a day?  Wouldn't that be fun?"  I called my father (or texted him on his new Ipad- my dad is so cool) to see if he would like to go, and he is!  Charleston for a day- what a dream!  I am currently trying to get over the fact that I still am wearing my winter body, and if I just had a month to prepare- only one month- I would feel much better about going.  As I stare at my bathing suits in their dank little bottom-drawer home, I am thinking that "spontaneity" is perhaps better-suited for another day.  Am I really that vain, that I would spoil everyone else's fun only to give myself time to prepare for a bathing suit?  Or even worse, will I be that "mom" in a hat and cover-up, lounging in a chair with a Bud light?  Every time I get up, pulling the wedge from my dimply behind, tugging the cover-up over my bulging alabaster thighs- only ever to go grab something else from the cooler?  The words, "I have given up completely" scrawled on my forehead?

Neither, I am sure.  I am going regardless, as I am spontaneous- at least for today.

But not before I share these with you...

These are Cream Cheese-Filled Carrot Muffins, and they are delicious.

And they will do nothing for your bathing suit body, despite the healthful name.

You may or may not have the ingredients in your pantry to make these, but carrot muffins are sort of "dump" muffins.  Just throw a bunch of stuff together, fill it with cream cheese, and I am sure it will taste delicious.

Don't trust yourself on that?  Where is your spontaneous spirit this Monday morning?

Fine then.  A recipe.

Cream Cheese-Filled Carrot Muffins (adapted from The Delicious Life)

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t cinnamon
8 swipes of whole nutmeg on a microplane
1 cup + 2 T sugar
1/2 cup toasted and chopped nuts of choice
3 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1.5 cups carrots shredded on a microplane (trust me)
.5 cup raisins, soaked in warm rum, I mean water
1 t vanilla extract
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 egg yolk
.25 cup + 1 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350

Whisk together all of your dry ingredients, including the nuts.
Stir together all of the wet ingredients, including the carrots and raisins, in a separate bowl.
In yet another bowl, mix together the remaining 4 ingredients (this will be your filling).

Make a well in your dry ingredients, and pour the wet ones in.  Very gently stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, as you really, really want to avoid over-mixing.  When the ingredients are incorporated, fill 12 muffin cups until 3/4 full.  Plop a teaspoon of the filling right in the center of each muffin.  Pop in the oven for about 20 minutes, and voila, absolute carrot muffin deliciousness.

Or put the cream cheese mixture in just about any muffin, as I mentioned before.  Grating carrots is a pain in the behind-

-the big, white, dimply, wedge-prone behind.

Have a great day!

Rachel Bee