Almond Nectarine Muffins

Good morning– Made these sweet muffins on a Saturday morning, when Paige dropped in for coffee and talk. She’s a darling young woman–we talked about work and plans and life’s ups and downs.  Amazing girl.

And the muffins were yummy warm from the oven– love baking with peaches/nectarines.  Seems like they are in season such a short time– they taste like summer!

ALMOND NECTARINE MUFFINS

Streusel:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 tab. butter
1/4 cup almonds

Muffins:
1 medium nectarine
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tab. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. amaretto (or almond extract)*
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1  1/2 cup flour
1  1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Make the streusel first.  Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender of two forks until it looks crumbly.  Stir in the almonds.  Set aside for now.

Cut the nectarine into small bits (no need to peel).  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the oil, white sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, amaretto and sour cream.  Then mix in the four, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Finally stir in the cut up nectarine bits.

Spoon the batter into a muffin pan lined with muffin papers.  Makes 12.  Sprinkle the streusel over the muffins and pop them in to 375 degree oven for 20 to 22 minutes– until the are slightly browned and firm to the touch.  Wonderful hot from the oven with a little smear of butter!

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Maple Pecan Banana Muffins

Good Morning– Isn’t it nice to have help in the kitchen??  Had one of my favorite kitchen helpers with me yesterday morning to mix together these happy muffins.  They are sweet and tender– just like little Lois!  And we all sat around the coffee table for breakfast to munch muffins and drink coffee, while we watched the World Cup this morning!

MAPLE PECAN BANANA MUFFINS
2 bananas, thoroughly smashed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
1  3/4 cups four
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Plus more chopped pecans, to top the muffins

Smash the banana with a fork in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in the milk, oil, vanilla and maple syrup.  Then mix in the flour, baking power, salt and cinnamon.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins that have been lined with muffin papers. Sprinkle the extra pecans on top on top of the muffins.  Drop them into a 350 degree for 18 to 20 minutes.  What a smell when you lift them from the oven!

Actually, Lois likes tasting the batter as much as mixing it!

Orange Pecan Muffins

Hello there–  “Wish I could say, “Come on over for a hot muffin and a mug of tea.”  There are so many of you blog-friends that write back and forth.  I love reading our blogs and would love to sit and talk over breakfast and fill in all the little details of your lives. (I mean you Lacey & Mollie, Kat, Marcia, Cate, Simona, Brigid, Mary, Vero …).

But I’ll have to make do by sending off this muffin recipe to you all.  It’s bright and nutty and has that light touch of citrus.  Hot from the oven with a swath of sweet butter– perfect!

ORANGE PECAN MUFFINS
1 large orange
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Grate the rind off of the orange.  Then juice the orange.  Set both aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Then mix in the egg, oil and milk.  Finally fold in the orange juice, orange peel and chopped pecans.

Scoop the batter into a muffin tin lined with muffin papers.  Makes 10 to 12 muffins.

Pop them into a 350 degree oven for 20 to 22 minutes.  Eat ’em while they’re hot!!

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Hello all– This is a little chocolate banana muffin that masquerades as a fruit muffin, but really is more of a dessert.  You can make them for breakfast if you want to (no judging here!), but they’d be fine with a cup of coffee after dinner too.  Moist, rich and delicious…

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS
2 bananas, smashed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream (or unflavored yogurt)
1 egg
2 tab. unsweetened cocoa*
1 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tab. cornstarch
1 cup flour

Smash the bananas completely in a mixing bowl with a fork. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, oil, sour cream and egg.  Then mix in the cocoa and 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips.  Finally stir in the salt, baking powder, cornstarch and flour.

Spoon the batter into 10 to 12 muffin tins lined with muffin papers.**  Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips over the muffins. Pop them into a 350 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes until they are firm to the touch.

*Love Hershey’s dark cocoa
**or spray the muffin pans with cooking spray

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Hi all– It’s pretty quiet around here.  Christmas tree down–check.  Clutter picked up and stashed–check.  Gifts all stowed in cupboards and closets–check.  Kids all gone & settled back in their own homes–check.  Sort of missing the hub-bub of ten people filling up our little house.

Here’s one Christmas week leftover still waiting to be shared.  Citrusy, sweet muffins were our quick breakfast one morning– sort of add a little sunshine on a gray sky day.  Add a mug of tea.  Perfect.

LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1/2 cup milk
grate peel from 1 large lemon
1 cup blueberries (6 oz. pack)
a little extra sugar

First take the lemon and grate off all the peel. Set aside.  Then juice the lemon and strain out the seeds.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Next mix in the eggs, oil, lemon juice and milk.  Last, fold in the lemon peel and blueberries.

Spoon the batter into a muffin tin lined with paper liners (makes about 10).  Dust the tops with a slight sprinkle of sugar.

Bake them up at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes, until they are slightly browned on top and firm to the touch.  Delicious warm with a big mug of tea.

Yogurt Banana Muffins

Good morning!  I’m still here in San Francisco with Baby Lois and her dear parents, Ani & Brian.  This morning I grabbed her early and she laid in her rocker in the kitchen and “helped” me make banana muffins for breakfast.  The sun was shining in the windows and she just squirmed and made her little “turkey sounds” while I mixed and stirred.  It was a fine time in the kitchen!

These muffins are from one of my very very favorite bloggers– Shannan Martin Writes.  She’s funny and fresh and has so much to say about family and faith and seeing the beautiful in every places.  She occasionally puts a recipe out there–  AND she recently published her first book– well worth reading, Falling Free, Rescued from the Life I’d Always Wanted .

The muffins (back to the real subject here) are tender and spongy and pretty on your plate–with a sweet crunchy coating on top.   A great start to your morning.

YOGURT BANANA MUFFINS
2 smashed bananas
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup unflavored yogurt
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/3 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (or a bit more if you love nuts like I do!)

topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Smash the banana with a fork in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in the sugar, yogurt, egg and oil.  Then mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nuts just until it’s all blended.

Spoon the thick batter into a muffin tin lined with paper liners.  Makes 12 pretty muffins.  Mix together the 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon and then sprinkle it over the unbaked muffins.

Pop them into the oven and bake them at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, until they are nicely browned and springy to the touch.  Best warm with mugs of tea and sunshine coming in the windows!

And I just can’t resist putting up a photo of my baking buddy– Baby Lois!  (I’ll really try not to over do it on baby pictures!!)

Here she is sleeping– it’s what she does best!

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Hi friends– It’s September and the oven has been put back to good use around.  I’ve been baking up a storm.  And nothing smells so good coming out of the oven as something laced with cinnamon.  This little muffins are kind of second cousin to cinnamon rolls, lots of the same flavor and the crunchy nuts, but a whole lot less time and effort is involved.

I made them for our lovable group of 20 & 30 something’s who come in on Thursday nights– and the muffins all disappeared!  I love baking for those guys– such an appreciative group of eaters.  And just all around fun to spend an evening with them.

CINNAMON ROLL MUFFINS

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 tab. cinnamon
1  1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3 tab. melted butter

Muffins:
2 cups flour
1 tab. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 cup milk

Frosting:
2 oz. cream cheese (1/4 of a block), softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tab. milk
few drops of vanilla

First make the topping.  Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts.  Then completely fold in the melted butter.  Set this aside for later.

For the muffins, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Then mix in the oil, egg and milk.  (The batter will be stiff.)  Take 1/2 cup of the brown sugar topping mixture and stir it into the batter.

Use muffin papers or spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray– then scoop the batter into the muffin tin.  Put of spoonful of the brown sugar topping on top of each muffin, patting it down a bit with the spoon to make it stick well to the batter.

Bake them up at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes until firm to the touch.

While they are baking, make the frosting.  I softened the cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds.  Then with a whisk, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk and the vanilla.  If the frosting seems runny enough to drizzle over the muffins from a spoon, that’s great!  If it is too thick, add the second spoon of milk and blend it completely.

Drizzle that luscious frosting over the muffins, hot from the oven and enjoy that cinnamon smell while you do it!  Scrumptious eaten with friends and mugs of tea.

Apple Bran Muffins

Hi all– We had these tender little muffins for a post Christmas breakfast last week.  Mixed them up with 4 year old Jobay.  She got an egg cracking lesson.  I think she’ll need a little more practice!  Hot from the oven with a couple eggs scrambled up, they make a fine start to the day.

APPLE BRAN MUFFINS
1 cup flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk*
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine
1 medium apple

Peel, core and grate the apple.  Set aside

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, bran, salt, brown sugar and baking powder.  Then mix in the buttermilk, egg and oil.  Finally fold in the grated apple and walnuts.

Spoon the batter into muffin papers lining a 12 cup muffin pan.  And bake them up at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.  So good warm with a slather of butter.

*These are just everyday muffins, so I don’t usually have buttermilk waiting in the fridge– To make your own just add a tablespoon of cider vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.

Chocolate Espresso Muffins

Hey there– I’m trying not to show off here.  But honestly, I have to say these are my favorite thing I’ve baked in a very long time!  So tender and silky and chocolatey with a little streusel crunch on top.  Can you tell I love them??

CHOCOLATE ESPERSSO MUFFINS

topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup dark chocolate coated cocoa nibs*
(or chocolate chips)

muffin:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa**
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup brewed espresso (or strong coffee)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips

First prepare the streusel.  Mix together the 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.  Set aside along with the cocoa nibs.

Then in a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, sugars, baking powder and salt.  Mix in the egg, milk, coffee, oil and vanilla.  Finally fold in the 2/3 cup walnuts and chocolate chips.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin pans lined with paper muffins liners.  You’ll have 12 to 15 standard muffins.  Sprinkle on the walnut & brown sugar streusel and then scatter the chocolate covered cocoa nibs over the tops.

Pop them into a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they are baked and firm to the touch.  Hot from the oven they are just about perfect!!– with a mug of tea, even better.

*If you live around here, I got the chocolate covered cocoa nibs at Sprouts.
**I like the Hershey’s extra dark unsweetened cocoa– so much chocolate flavor!

 

Whole Wheat Raspberry Muffins

Hey there– I can’t walk through the market nowadays without picking up a carton of some kind of berries– knowing that summer will soon be over and I’ll be moving on to apple and pumpkin kind of baking.

But for now there are peaches and berries and watermelon in the fridge.  Sweet summer.

WHOLE WHEAT RASPBERRY MUFFINS
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup cup white unbleached flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/2 cup raspberries (about 8 oz.)

topping:
4 tab. butter, melted
6 tab. brown sugar
2 tab. white sugar
6 tab. flour
6 tab. slivered almonds

I like to make the topping first– in a small bowl stir together the melted butter, 6 tab. brown sugar, 2 tab. white sugar and 6 tab. flour.  Then carefully fold in the almonds.  Set it all aside for a couple minutes.

Then mix together the 1 cup wheat flour, 1 cup white flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir in the oil, milk and egg.  And finally, gently fold in those raspberries.

Spoon the raspberry batter into 12 muffin cups lined with muffin papers.  With your fingers break up and sprinkle the topping on over the muffins– and pop them into a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they are nicely browned and springy to the touch.

Cup of tea, hot muffin with a bit of butter.  Just about perfect.

Peachy Almond Muffins

Oh hi!  We have our 3 grand-girls (along with their parents) with us for a couple weeks.  Yesterday morning Charlotte tumbled into the kitchen early while everyone else was still asleep– so she and I mixed up a batch of peach muffins for breakfast.  She’s a great chopper, measurer and mixer. I really love cooking with those girls.

PEACHY ALMOND MUFFINS
1  1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla or amaretto*
1 large peach, cut to small bits
1/3 cup sliced almonds

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Then mix in the egg, milk, oil and vanilla (or amaretto) just until it’s all blended.  Fold in the cut up peaches.

Spoon the mixture into a muffin tin lined with paper muffin cups.  Then sprinkle the almonds over the tops of the muffins.

Put them in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 23 minutes, just until they are golden and firm to the touch.  Best eaten warm with a slather of butter and a mug of tea.  Add a scrambled egg or two–Breakfast!

*My original muffin recipe called for vanilla– But the amaretto sets off the almonds.  I usually have a bottle on hand– substitute it for almond extract.  Mostly because I’m a bit of a cheapskate– Love that amaretto. It costs so much less per ounce than extract.

Whole Wheat Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

Hi everyone– We seem to be the glad recipients of all manner of citrus these days– Teachers at school have been sharing bowls of lemons and tangerines and grapefruit from their trees.  And Micah came down last weekend with a big bag of beautiful big oranges from the farms up in Ojai. So they’ll be some citrusy baking around here, including these orange muffins.  They’re hearty and bright–a good way to start your morning…

WHOLE WHEAT ORANGE POPPY SEED MUFFINS
3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup canola oil
grated orange peel (about 1/3 cup)*
2 tab. poppy seeds

Stir together the white and wheat flours, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Then mix in the egg, orange juice and oil.  Finally fold in the orange peel and poppy seeds.

Spoon the batter into a muffin tin lined with paper muffin cups (or just sprayed with cooking spray).  Bake them 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees until they are firm to the touch.  Makes about 10 standard muffins.

Serve hot on a winter morning with a swatch of butter and orange marmalade.  Delish.

*I used one very large orange, it might take 2 to have enough peel & juice.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Hello there– Fresh warm muffins–a little post Christmas breakfast with the kids, crumbly, fruity muffins, not too sweet and nice and hot from the oven.  I hope your breakfast includes muffins on your table these days too.

WHOLE WHEAT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar + a little for topping
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1  1/2 up blueberries*

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 2 flours, 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  Then mix in the oil, milk and egg.  Finally, gently fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the stiff batter into 10 to 12 muffin pans lined with paper liners– And sprinkle a bit of brown sugar onto the top  of each one.

Pop them into a 375 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes until they are browned and firm to the touch.  Scrumptious hot from the oven with a smear of sweet butter and a mug of tea.

*I used the small organic frozen berries from Trader Joe’s– don’t defrost them ahead.  Just stir them in frozen, so they don’t color the batter.  Fresh berries would be grand if it were summer!

Pumpkin Pecan Bran Muffins

Hi friends– My most frequent “stress dream” is always the same.  I’m working on dinner for a crowd waiting hungrily in the next room,  and I can’t get it done– I’m trying to summon up dinner from 2 oranges and a can of beans or I’ve lost the turkey…

Well, my nightmare finally came true!  The family was here for a birthday dinner and I realized when it was bout time to eat that my oven was dying!  The roasting potatoes and the corn soufflé was totally raw!!  Ugh.

The bad new is a couple days later I was having 30 friends for breakfast and no oven— The good news is that the world’s best neighbor Trisha let me use her oven.  The crazy news is her house is in the middle of a total remodel, so I was dashing in and out amid the construction crew with tins of muffins and pans of coffee cake…

But it all came out OK (Thank’s Trisha!!)– and these are the muffins– good for a post Thanksgiving breakfast to use up that leftover pumpkin.  They are delish!

PUMPKIN PECAN BRAN MUFFINS

Streusel:
4 tab. butter, melted
6 tab. brown sugar
2 tab. white sugar
6 tab. flour
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Muffins:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup flour
1 cup wheat bran
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup currants

First make the streusel.  Melt the butter in a mixing bowl (microwave).  Then stir in the 6 tab. brown sugar, 2 tab. white sugar and 6 tab. flour. Chop the 1/3 cup pecans and set all this aside.

In a larger mixing bowl, stir together the pumpkin, egg, 1/2 cup brown sugar and canola oil.  Them mix in the 1 cup flour, wheat bran, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
Last, fold in the peans and currants.

Spoon the thick batter into 10 to 12 muffins cups lined with cupcake papers*.

With your fingers, break up the streusel into coarse crumbs over all the muffins and then sprinkle the 1/3 cup chopped pecans over the top.

Pop them into the oven at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes– until they are firm to the touch.

Delicious hot from the oven, or cooled with a bracing mug of tea.

*If you live in socal– Sprouts has the best muffin papers– a pretty light  brown parchment, slightly waxed to the muffins never stick.

 

Cherry Nut Muffins

Hi all–  A few years back we were dropping off our son for college in Michigan– drove along the lake (amazing!) and popped into a farm stand with tables of beautiful fruit–oh the cherries!  Well, it seems a lot of those cherries have made their way down our way this summer.  We’ve had cherries galore–glossy and dark, sweet and juicy.  Lots of cherry snacking and cherries in salads.  And these cherry nut muffins.

CHERRY NUT MUFFINS
1  1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 full cup cherries, pitted & cut in half
1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped*
2 tab. sugar

Stir together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.  Then blend in the egg, milk, oil and vanilla.  And last, fold in the cherries and walnuts.

Spoon the batter into a 12 muffin pan– lined with paper liners.  Sprinkle the 2 tab. of sugar lightly over the tops.

Pop the muffins into a 350 degree oven and bake them for 20 to 22 minutes until they are golden and firm to the touch.

Delicious warm– no need for jam with all those sweet cherries!

*Pecans or hazelnuts would work well too– and I always cheat and add extra nuts, love all the nutty crunch.

Blueberry Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins

Hello friends–I’m admitting I have a minor addiction.  When I pass through the market and blueberries are on sale (again!) I can’t pass by without dropping a box in my cart.  I know that in a few weeks the price will jump up to it’s winter peak and stay there until next summer.  So I’m getting my fill now.  Blueberry cobbler, blueberries in salads–and what’s better than a blueberry muffin?!  Loving those blueberries.

BLUEBERRY BUTTERMILK OATMEAL MUFFINS
1 cup oatmeal*
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup canola oil**
6 oz. carton of blueberries

Stir together the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  Then mix in the buttermilk, egg and oil.  And lastly, fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners.  And pop them into a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until they are golden and firm to the touch.

Eat at least one right out of the oven when they are their hot, tender best!

*I used whole old fashioned oats, but quick (1 minute) oats are great too.
*The recipe I worked from called for melted butter, but I substituted canola oil and it worked just fine.  But you can butter it up if you like!!

Zucchini Yogurt Muffins

Hello Morning Muffin Eaters–  It’s summer and I still have that baking itch– So let’s crank up the stove early, before it gets hotter around here.  Morning muffins.  That should do it.  These friendly little muffins are a good start to a summer morning.  Enjoy!

ZUCCHINI YOGURT MUFFINS
2 small zucchini
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unflavored yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped*

Grate the zucchini with the large holes of a box grater– should make about 2 cups.

Stir together the flour sugar,baking powder and salt.  Then mix in the eggs, oil, yogurt and milk.  Finally fold in the zucchini and nuts.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins lined with paper liners** and pop them into the oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden and firm to the touch.

Lovely warm with butter and honey– or leftovers toasted crisp in the toaster the next day.

*1/2 cup nuts is fine– I like more.  It just depends on how “nutty” you are.
** If you live in socal, Sprouts sells the best muffin paper liners.  They are a nice neutral brown and like waxed paper, so they never stick to your baked goods.

Blackberry Cornbread Muffins

Hello Baking Buddies–  I’ll tell you, I’m having more fun cooking with the grand-girls staying here!  When I launch into dinner making, usually one of them will wander through the kitchen and pull up a chair to help.

So last week, I enlisted Charlotte to collect a few blackberries from the side yard and to help stir up these blackberry corn muffins to go along with a Taco-ish salad.  We had a grand time mixing and talking…

BLACKBERRY CORNBREAD MUFFINS
1  1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2  1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4  tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar*
1 egg
3 tab. oil
1 cup milk
1  1/2 cup blackberries**

 

Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Then mix in the egg, oil and milk.

I cut the blackberries in half because they were a little large– you can do that or leave them whole.  Carefully fold them into the cornbread batter, so they don’t stain the batter.

Spoon the mixture into 12 muffins papers set in muffin tine.

Bake them up at 250 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until they just start to brown and are firm to the touch.

Serve them up warm with lots of butter*** and honey or blackberry jam…

*Larry likes less sugar in his cornbread. I like more.  Either measurement 1/4 or 1/2 works just fine.
**You can use any berries in place of blackberries–and 1 1/2 cups can be more or less…
***And did you read the cover story in the Time magazine this week– “Eat Butter!”  It looks like butter isn’t quite at bad for us as I’ve been thinking all these years. That makes my butter loving self happy!

Blueberry Bran Muffins

Hi all– I was going to you all this recipe several months ago.  Back then, I made these cozy muffins for my group of young moms who get together every other week.  I was rushing around getting the breakfast together and completely forgot to put eggs in the batter.  They came out of the oven rather sad and crumbly.  But this group has been together a long enough that by now they are happy to uncomplainingly eat mistakes, bless their hearts.  We’re way beyond crumbly muffins…

So here is a new batch, where I actually read the recipe!  They turned out just fine.  I think you might like them if you have friends come for breakfast.

BLUEBERRY BRAN MUFFINS
1 cup flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk*
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries**

Mix together the flour, bran, salt, sugar and baking powder.  Then stir in the buttermilk, egg and oil.  Finally, carefully fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the mixture into 10 muffin cups lined with paper liners and bake it up at 425 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes until the muffins are nicely browned and firm to the touch.

*If you don’t stock buttermilk (like me), just put 2 tsp. of vinegar into 3/4 cup milk and let it sit a couple minutes to thicken.
**And if you use frozen berries, don’t defrost them– or they will be mushy and color the batter blue!  Just cook frozen berry muffins 3 or 4 minutes longer.

Apricot Almond Muffins

Good morning!  Sunday mornings are muffins mornings when the family is here.  Everyone is getting up at different times and in different stages of getting read for the day.  So we just leave out a good supply of muffins and some eggs to scramble and everyone manages to breakfast.  I love these sweet simple muffins.  They taste like a sunny Sunday morning…

APRICOT ALMOND MUFFINS
2/3 cup dried apricots, chopped to small bits
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 tab. amaretto (or almond extract)*
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Soak the apricot bits in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes to plump them up.  Then drain off the water.

Next mix together the apricots, egg, milk, oil and amaretto.  And stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Top them off with the almonds

Pop them into the oven at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes while you pull out the eggs and orange juice, put on the coffee.  Breakfast!