Our children don’t have a lunch program at their school. So, once a month, another lady and I volunteer to cook a hot meal for all 150 students. And, since the teachers don’t have a break in their schedules, twice a month we also make lunch for them—and sometimes prepare Milky Way Ice Cream for dessert! Every family has its traditions. We serve homemade ice cream for birthdays. I’m constantly looking for new recipes—that’s how I found this one.

It’s a cupcake recipe version of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Yum!

“I have the best blackberry muffin recipe!” my friend Suzanne announced to me a few weeks ago as I was musing out loud that I was looking for a good muffin recipe. Suzanne and I have been friends since we were teenagers, but lost track with each other after college. It was only through the Sacramento Bee article that we found each other again – after 18 years – and discovered we live only 10 minutes apart! Last weekend, Suzanne, her two daughters Clara and Audrey, and I baked up a batch of these delicious muffins, which are rich, moist (of course, with a cup of sour cream and a stick of butter in the ingredients), and not too sweet, just the way I like them. Thank you Suzanne, Audrey, and Clara for a great afternoon and truly the “best blackberry muffins.”

3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 (5-ounce) small can evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts, toasted*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Line 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside.
Place sugar, [...]

Between working a nine-to-five and picking up the tots from school, you barely have time to make a proper meal for the family. Well, why don’t you enlist the help of your kids in the kitchen? Not only will you spend quality time with him (and gain an extra hand in making dinner), but you’ll also teach him valuable lessons along the way.