Giant Soda Muffins

One of my favorite times to visit San Antonio's River Walk is during St. Patrick's Day. They do their best to dye the river green and masses of St. Patty's Day partiers drown themselves in green beer and hope not to fall in the river.

You see, my husband and I do not drink alcohol (ok, more like its a rarity.) He is displeased with the taste and it burns like fire in my stomach (which I was later told was not normal) So instead we are mere observers.

The first time we had gone to the River Walk on St. Patrick's Day was by pure coincidence and it ended up being a blast. Though the river dye had faded back to the murky brown, we enjoyed viewing all of the party-goers and drunkards. We stayed up into the night, walked the river route and parked ourselves on a bench.

Sad but true, not only are we observers-but we are also poking fun at the lushes behind their back. So all of the obnoxious, loud, puffed up like a rooster men and the sloshed up, 'now I think I'm really sexy' women gave us plenty to talk and laugh about that night. We only saw one fall into the depths of the murky river but she was quickly recovered. I wonder if she thought she was super sexy after that?

This year my husband surprised me with a weekend get-away, the first since our 18 month old was born. This time, the trip is with mixed emotions-excited for the break but nervous because it is my first time away from my baby boy. So, Casa Rio, Schilo's Delicatessen (pronounced she-lows), Mi Tierra, Pat O'Brien's...here we come!

Giant Soda Muffins
Yield: 6 large muffins
These muffins are similar to Irish Soda Bread. They are very large and delicious for a St. Patrick's Day Breakfast. Serve slathered with butter and jam. Then, you can enjoy that green beer later on in the day.

Nonstick spray
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup golden raisins
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray six jumbo (1 cup) muffin cups with nonstick spray.
2. Sift next 6 ingredients into a large bowl. Add butter, blending with fingertips until incorporated. Stir in raisins.
3. Whisk buttermilk and egg together in a small bowl. Add to dry ingredients. Stir to blend. Spoon batter into muffin cups.
4. Bake muffins until tested inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool slightly on rack.