Tom Douglas' Carrot Muffins with Brown Butter and Currants

I've always thought of the holidays as the perfect time of year to create memories and traditions my kids will always look forward to in the coming years and long after they leave the house. The start of Winter Break usually occurs a few days before Christmas and ends just after New Year's Day. My husband also takes the same two weeks off so we can just spend the break being together with our visiting family and friends. It's a wonderful tradition that I look forward to as much as the kids. Now that Christmas is officially over and the presents have all been opened, we will spend the rest of the break lounging in comfortable clothes and eating leftovers. 

But still, although I may not be baking any more holiday treats, I do keep the coffee pot full and bake comfort food to feed our house guests (we had nine last night) staying with us during the break. Good hospitality is my way of creating memorable moments. Nothing says we are glad you're here more than the aroma of homemade bread and pastries wafting through the house. I love seeing family and friends anxiously waiting for the baked goods to come out of the oven while sharing stories and laughing. If you happen to be hosting family this week too, may I suggest baking these wonderful Carrot Muffins? 

The recipe comes from James Beard's award-winning celebrity chef, Tom Douglas. His newly released New York Times best-seller, The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattle (William Morrow, October 2012), will help you recreate some of the bakery's most popular recipes and other types of comfort food family traditions and memories are built around. These carrot muffins, which I have made multiple of times, have already become a favorite of ours and I hope they will become a favorite of yours too.