Apparently He Had An Itch

Growing up 3 hours from Yellowstone gave us a great cheap vacation in the summer.  We went nearly every summer.  Anytime anyone came to visit us in the summer, we would take them.  Over the years of going to Yellowstone, we saw it change.  The natural phenomenon moved and sprang up in new places.  It has been neat to see the changes over the years.

One summer, friends from Tennessee came to visit.  We went with them to Yellowstone.  I don't remember too many details of that trip but my mom tells me the plan was to stay one night.  However, we stayed several nights.  We camped out and I remember having a great time.  I'm sure my mom was freaking out because she had only brought food and packed for 1 night.  Our friends were introduced to many new things of the West including sage brush.  I remember hearing him talking to someone else in our campground saying, "Brother Ray, says them there things are called sagebrush" (with a very thick accent). It is always fun to show Yellowstone to people who haven't been there.

My mom's friend from California came one summer.  We headed to Yellowstone in her pickup.  She had a camper shell on the bed of her pickup.  If I remember correctly there was a mattress back there too.  My mom and I rode in the bed of the pickup, and our friend, my dad, and my 2 sisters rode in the cab.  I thought that was a great way to travel.  So much more room to move around.  I think I was 9.  We stayed in a cabin in Island Park or somewhere near there.  One night while we were there, our friend went out to her pickup to get something and came right back in looking a bit frightened.  She said there was a moose between the cabin and the pickup.  She decided it was much safer to just wait till it left.  We roasted marshmallows over a candle.  It didn't work so well, but we managed to get them roasted. The next day while we were in the park, we stopped to look at something.  Suddenly the pickup started to rock back and forth.  I looked out the window just in time to see a buffalo rubbing himself on the pickup.  Apparently he had an itch.

Those trips to Yellowstone as a kid were great memories and so much fun.  I wish I still saw things through the eyes of a child.  I also wish I could still sleep on the ground like a kid.  Camping would be so much more fun.  Now my camping consists of key cards, indoor swimming pools and comfortable mattresses.  Whether I'm camping or staying in a hotel, I pack food because eating in Yellowstone is expensive.  An easy take along breakfast food is muffins.  I found this recipe in a magazine and like most recipes I have made it my own. There are also a bunch of variations of it so you can pick what you like. Enjoy!

Muffins 
For all muffins combine the following, then add the ingredients for each variation:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar

Cinnamon & Sugar Muffins
Add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blueberry
Add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
2 cups frozen blueberries

Apple Cinnamon
Add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1 apple, chopped
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Orange Cranberry
Add:
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Double Chocolate
Melt 3 oz semisweet chocolate squares & 1/2 cup of better
Add:
chocolate mixture
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1/4 cup Nutella
Before baking drop an additional 1 tsp Nutella on each muffin

Chocolate Coconut Flake
Melt 3 oz semisweet chocolate & 1/2 cup butter
Add:
chocolate mixture
3/4 cup coconut flakes
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
Sprinkle 1/3 cup coconut on muffins before baking

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix all ingredients for each muffin.  Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.  Pour muffin batter in pan so cup is 3/4 full.  Bake for 25 minutes.