The Pioneer Woman Cooks (20 page)

13. Now, while the muffins are baking, prepare the glaze: Juice the 2 oranges whose zest you just stole…

14. Add the orange juice and brown sugar to a medium bowl and stir together just until combined, but don’t worry about dissolving the brown sugar completely. You want the glaze to be grainy and textured.

15. As soon as the muffins are done, drizzle the glaze all over the top. Be sure to thoroughly coat each muffin.

16. Don’t worry if the glaze drips all over the pan. That means more for you to lick up later.

17. Serve the muffins warm on a beautiful platter. Watch your guests’ eyes roll back into their heads as they savor each bite.

MIGAS

Makes 6 servings

Unless you’ve visited or lived in the Southwest, you probably haven’t heard of migas, an exceedingly flavorful scrambled egg dish made fabulous with the addition of bell peppers, jalapeños, onions, cheese, and—my favorite part—f corn tortillas. I first tried migas when I visited my little sister, Betsy, after she moved to Austin, Texas, with her husband a few years ago. I fell instantly in love with the one-skillet meal, and felt a little cheated at the time that in all my years of loving food, I’d never even heard of it. And all I knew was, I never wanted to be without it again.

1 medium onion1 red bell pepper1 green bell pepper4 tomatoes1 or 2 jalapeños10 to 12 large eggs¼ cup half-and-halfSalt and black pepper to taste4 corn tortillasCanola oil for frying1 tablespoon olive oil1 tablespoon butter2 cups grated Mexican Cotija, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheese¼ to ½ cup chopped cilantro, depending on your taste¼ cup sour creamOrange slices for garnish

1. Begin by roughly chopping the onion, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Finely dice a fresh jalapeño, removing the white membranes and seeds. (See warning on Starters.)

2. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs and half-and-half. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

3. Finally, in a small skillet, fry the corn tortillas in canola oil until just barely crisp. Don’t overbrown.

4. Just fry them until they’re no longer floppy.

5. Drain the fried tortillas on a paper towel, then place on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut the tortillas into strips.

6. Then turn them in the other direction and cut into large squares. Set aside.

7. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion and bell peppers in the olive oil and butter until they develop a little color.