Dark Chocolate Rye & Banana Muffins with Fleur de Sel

 

I'm totally not that person who bakes instead of searches for necessary receipts for the impending tax season (insert scary music here).  Nope, not me at all.  Nor am I that person who bakes instead of calls someone to fix my leaky washing machine and hurting computer (hang in there old pal).  I'm so not that person who has procrastination issues.  Nope, not me at all.  I'm just rather fond of baking.  Really.  And while the world at times feels like it's closing in on me, hot damn I've got good muffins and a PVR full of episodes of GIRLS and Veep to keep me company.  I'll pull the blanket off my head when I'm good and ready.  But not just yet.  The tax man can wait.

Wish: Chocolate Shortbread with Cacao Nibs & Sea Salt

Every Christmas Eve, when it's quite late, with just the Christmas tree lights glowing in the corner of my small living room, I peel back the curtain and find a tiny star to wish upon.  It's super dorky to admit that to complete strangers, but maybe you do it too.  And it's a big wish.  Something I yearn for deeply, to come true in the next year or so.  Something that I need to happen to just make life a little better.  Given the wonderful things that I've been blessed with this year, I can tell you they come true, too.  This small moment, after all of the stresses of the season have passed, is what I think I look forward to most.  Now more than ever, in a world filled with so much pain and suffering, we need to have hope in our back pocket.