Remember my vow to pare down this cookbook collection of mine? The one I thought was out of control?
I learned something recently. Actually, I learned three things:
- I lack the necessary focus to stay on any cleaning project for longer than 1 week. Oh heck, even a day is pushing it.
- I lack the necessary focus to be a real collector.
- Real collectors are weird. Like, really, really weird.
Do a little Google search on weird collections and you’ll find some pretty kooky stuff. Like this:
But my personal favorite has to be Graham Barker, who holds the Guinness Record for… wait for it… Navel Lint!
It would be easy to make fun of these people. Actually, I fully planned on making fun of these people. But… well, just look at their faces!
Do you see how happy they are? Their collections are a part of who they are. It’s their own special brand of quirkiness. And in a way, it represents their battle against the ordinary and mundane.
Who am I to judge?
As for the navel lint guy — you know, of the bunch, he actually sounds the most interesting. You gotta admit, it’s not every day you meet a man who keeps his belly button fuzz in a glass jar. Here’s his site, in case you want to get in touch and discuss your own navel findings.
So anyway, what led to my sudden interest in collectors is that while I’ve never thought of myself as one, I might have accidentally started the process with Williams-Sonoma cookbooks.
It started innocently enough, as these things normally do, with a used copy of their Muffins & Quick Breads.
The recipes were great, which led to the purchase of Breakfasts & Brunches. That led to the acquisition of Pies and Tarts.
What happened after that is kind of a blur. I may have blacked out.
It’s the only explanation for why I bought the cookbook Shellfish. Considering no one in the family eats shellfish.
Anyway, if a collection was indeed starting, it’s now ending. Of the nine books, I’m keeping four, as they’re the only ones I use.
The recipe I’m sharing with you today is for Husband’s favorite muffins. In fact, he loves them so much that if I make any other kind of muffin, he’s disappointed.
The problem is, he’s out of town right now and it might hurt his feelings if he knew I baked a batch for you. So we have to keep this on the hush-hush.
Agreed?
Cinnamon Crunch Muffins
From Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library: Muffins & Quick Breads
Note: The original recipe calls for shortening, but I make it with butter
Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour (I used 2 cups all-purpose and 1 cup oat flour)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2/3 cup butter (a little less than 11 Tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the ginger. Add the butter and mix the ingredients together with a fork until thoroughly combined and crumbly (I use my hands; it makes it more fun).
Remove 2/3 cup of the mixture to a small bowl. To this, add the nuts and remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Set aside to use for the topping.
To the large bowl, add the baking powder and baking soda and stir to combine. Add the eggs and buttermilk and stir just until blended.
Spoon into greased muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each muffin with about 1 tablespoon topping. Bake at 375º until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing. Makes 18 standard muffins.
Prepare to wow your family with homemade goodness.
How about you? Are you a collector?
Do you live with one? (Poor thing!)
Thank you for the muffin. It sat on my desk calling my name! I only collect Jordan sneakers.
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An expensive hobby, but at least it’s a useful one, right?! 🙂
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Collector of books, does that count? :p
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I suppose it does, except that’s not in the least way weird or crazy. Instead, it is sane, lovely, and perfectly wise. 🙂
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Thank you 😀 and yeah… collecting navel lint is weeeirrddd ~
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Right?!
I can see someone doing it for curiosity sake, but then to tell others about it? To alert the media and get your picture taken?
Then again, I read he sold his stash to a museum for “an undisclosed sum.” So maybe he’s the smart one after all!
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My stomach actually heaved when I got to navel lint guy and now I’m too scared to scroll back up to have a proper look.
Candles were a passion of mine. Every shape, every colour and from countries far and wide. I had them in every corner of the house and in every room, until we had a power cut. Many candles died that night, a fact that still saddens me to this day.
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Oh dear — sorry for the stomach heaving, as well as the candle burn-out. I envision your pre-power outage home as worthy of a freakishly weird seance.
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No seances at my house. The ghosts moved out after they saw the sate of Spawn’s bedroom, citing that it wasn’t fit for the dead. They were then followed thereafter, by the cockroaches who also left in disgust that anyone could live in such filth.
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Sounds like Daughter’s room! Son is the tidy one, hers will soon be condemned by the Board of Health. It’s only a matter of time.
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😀
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Shall we light a candle in memory, or is that just crass?
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Not sure if I’m weeping because of the tragedy of those fallen candles who sacrificed their wax so that my life could continue, or because that was really funny. 🙂
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Considering my idea of comedy tends to make people cry, I’m betting it’s a combination of the tragedy of ill-conceived humor.
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Also, I wonder in the picture with Bob and his love dolls, I wonder which one is Lizzie?
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I thought of that too, but the article I read quoted her as saying they sometimes would bring one to a restaurant or movie. (Wonder if they buy her a meal?)
My guess is she just didn’t want her picture taken. Can’t say I blame her.
Have you ever seen the movie “Lars and the Real Girl”? The picture made me think of that.
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No, I haven’t. But there was a movie that came out in the past year that was about a man who falls in love with an A.I. I didn’t get to see it in the theater and now can’t remember the name. Do you happen to know what it was called?
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I know of one from a few years back with Joaquin Phoenix — it was called Her. Saw it and loved it. Wouldn’t mind seeing it again, now that I think of it. Thanks for the reminder!
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That’s it! Thanks. It’s available on Amazon now, so you’ll know what I’m watching tonight!
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Whenever I get more than three of something I get rid of one of them because I have an unholy fear of waking up one morning buried in stainless steel Barbies or Betty Boop calendars or Rambo hunting knife or Minions or … OMG … Stop me!
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Smart man — always good to set a limit! Especially when it comes to Minions. Actually, negative one works best when it comes to those. 😉
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Huh…………
Yup, that’s all I’ve got…..
Oh wait! I collect yarn. Because I knit. And I like expensive yarn. But my collection (stash) is quite small.
~Kathleen
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Oh my heart… a yarn stash! Of quality stock! How I long to run my fingers through the silky, cottony, and fine woolen threads. 🙂
I used to knit a lot, but living in Phoenix doesn’t require much in the way of sweaters, and there are only so many scarves and dishcloths one needs.
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I read about the lint dude several years ago — very happy to see that his passion still burns. I don’t collect that, but my barf bag collection is now at somewhere about 150.
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Because you never know when you’ll need a barf bag… Only used one once, on a choppy ride in a commuter plane, through a rainstorm over Chicago. (Barf bags never conjure up pleasant memories, do they?)
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Great post. So hilarious. I am a collector of the cardigan, ballet flats. And anything blush pink. Oh and that Cinnamon Crunch Muffin recipe? I’m all over those and thank you! Bests, P.
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How funny – I’m a lover of cardigans, ballet flats and navy blue! 😄
You’ll love the muffins – the topping is the best part. 😋
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These people are very serious about their collections. My husband collects golf pencils from the courses he’s played. We just spent his birthday at Pinehurst, the Mecca for all golfers, in North Carolina. There’s a small town near the resort and we met a man who helps people start and add to their golf memorabilia. Everything in the store was very expensive and rare and old. $11,000.00 for the first golf score card ever kept. The history he knows about the game was amazing. You’ve inspired me to write a short post about him. Thanks for the chuckles, too.
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So glad to be a source of inspiration! I look forward to reading the post. 🙂
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🏌⛳️
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I collect hot wheels. I’m also 40.
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I don’t know what your loved ones think, but I for one wholly support you!😊 🚗
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