Mmmmmmuffins!

Muffins. I've recently become addicted to making muffins. Cornmeal and raspberry. Banana-mocha chocolate chip. And tonight, double chocolate chocolate chip. Muffins. They're just so good. So easy to make. And even easier to eat. Especially topped with either maple syrup or cream.

I was compelled to make the double chocolate variety after a smug-inducing trip to the gym. Not only did I spend the requisite 45 minutes doing cardio and pumping iron (as I believe the kidz are calling it these days), but I also caught sight of that most disturbing of gym frequenters -- the hardcore anorexic exerciser. With knees wider than their thighs, protuding spines, and twig-like arms, these women (and some men) terrify me. I don't understand how they have the energy to run for 40 minutes at a time; I need a Mars Bar to gain enough strength just to enter the gym. One glimpse of this ana, however, helped me count my blessings. I might feel porky from time to time, but I love my food and rarely feel guilty about eating it.

Anyway, the exercise plus the jolt of good sense brought about by someone else's body issues meant that I was looking forward to some chocolately muffininess. However, my fracking Cloggie oven let me down. I'd been grilling the tuna/tomato gnocchi bake and forgot to turn the dial back to oven rather than grill, and the grill wasn't sufficiently hot to demonstrate that I'd left it on. 20 minutes after putting my muffins in, I opened the oven door to be met by a pall of black smoke. Blast! Carbonized muffin tops -- not exactly what I'd had in mind. But I duly chopped the tops off, and I'm pleased to report that the dismembered muffins were excellent! And next time, I'll get the oven settings right.