Church Cleaning, Doughnuts and Puffins

We have started a little tradition in our home that my children hold dear:  After we help clean the church building as a family (we sign up to help every three months), we head to our nearby Safeway and get doughnuts.  Then, to ease my conscience from this sugar-and-fat-laden breakfast, we make "Jamba Juice" to go with them.  This means I dump whatever fruit I have on hand, juice and a carton of yogurt into the blender with ice and call it a Jamba Juice.  My kids love it.

Mr. Two was at Safeway a few weeks ago and commented, "Mom, I really want to go and clean the church.  When do we get to go clean?"  I told him we'd have a turn in April and asked him why he was so eager to clean.  He replied, "I want to get doughnuts for breakfast."

I figure if my kids are excited about doing work and service, even if it's for the doughnuts, it's a good start.  Hopefully, we are instilling good work habits and a love for our church as well.  They really are pretty good little cleaners.

Now for the problem:  One of Mike's responsibilities with his church calling is to oversee the building cleaning.  Consequently, we clean the building more often.  While we are happy to help, all of those doughnut runs add up.  Luckily, I have another sweet breakfast treat that my family loves that I can cook up on those extra cleaning days.  They're called puffins and they are like a sugary doughnut muffin.  Light and buttery, with no frying involved.  The recipe came from a church cookbook, given to me several years ago from a friend.

Puffins

4 Tablespoons AND 2 teaspoons shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk

Mix shortening, sugar,egg, salt, and nutmeg.  Sift together flour and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients alternately with 1 cup of milk.  Bake in muffin pan at 350 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes, until done in center and lightly browning on edges.  When baked, first roll in melted butter and then cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Serve warm.  Best when eaten the first day.  Makes 12 puffins.

You really have to eat these soon after making them, they just don't keep well.  Luckily, they're so good, you probably won't have any left over anyways!