Blueberry Pecan Bran Muffins with Spiced Streusel topping

Oh bran muffin! How I love thee so!! The muffin that brings me such joy with your moist goodness and everlasting texture!
I made bran muffins last Sunday to have throughout the week. They were deeeee-licious. There were so many flavors that came forward in every bite! Sometimes I would notice a hint of orange, a light flavor of molasses or come across a nice juicy blueberry. Yum.
The best part about making this muffin was that I learned the importance of flour being present in streusel topping. My first batched had everything in it except flour and it melted right into the muffin. That made it have a nice sweet surprise in the middle, which isn't a horrible mistake in my opinion.
The second batch I added flour to the streusel-like mixture and it looked sooo much better.
I used Joy of Baking's Bran muffin recipe and added 1 cup of dried blueberries and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans.
For the topping, I didn't measure anything, but it is made up of butter, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, rolled oats and flour. I'll have measure it next time I make it, which I hope it is quite soon!

Tarte Tatin

For New Year's Eve, I made a tarte tatin. I've always wanted to make this but I was always too lazy to do it. My main drive to make it that night was because I've been reading other baking adventures by the TWD bakers for three years now and I thought...yes!!! 2012 will be the year I join them!! So, I thought, I should make something! What should I make? Tarte tatin? Tarte tatin.

I burnt it. 
I kept reading notes that said to keep cooking it til it's a dark caramel!! And that I won't regret it! 
I guess I went too far. Sigh...
It was still awesomely tasty. That deep rich caramel flavor was all throughout every bite. Yum. 
I had to make it again. 
And so I did. 
Three days later. 

I used REALLY BIG Fuji apples for this one. 
I'm not sure which one was better. They both were super delicious! The first one, since it was cooked longer, had an almost dark maple syrup flavor with an aftertaste of apple. And the second one had larger apple chunks, making it have a bigger apple pie presence. 
I don't think I can choose. And...I don't have to. One thing I do know is that I had each of them the next day and it was fantastic! The syrupy goodness seeps into the crust and gives you a buttery, sugary goodness that makes your mouth salivate every time you think about that day you ate the tarte. Sigh...
If you would like to be in sugary bliss as well, you can find the recipe on NPR's All Things Considered or in Dorie Greenspan's awesome cookbook.