Spiced Apple Muffins

2 Cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup raw apples, finely chopped

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.  Combine milk, egg, and butter and add to dry ingredients.  Mix just enough to combine.  Fold in apples.  Drop in well greased muffin tins.

Topping:  Place an apple ring (unpeeled) on top of each muffin and sprinkle tops with cinnamon and sugar mixture (2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon,) and chopped walnuts (optional) and sprinkle on top of muffins.  Bake at 425 for 20-25 mins.

Applesauce Muffins

1/2 c. applesauce
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 T. milk
1 c. raisins (optional)
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. allspice
1/2 t. nutmeg

Topping:
1/4 c. pecans, chopped
1/2 c. brown sugar, loosely packed
1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine applesauce, sugar, oil, eggs, milk and raisins. Mix together and add dry ingredients. Stir with a spoon until well blended. Pour into greased muffin tin. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake t 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

Everyday Food
Makes 12
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 c. mashed bananas 9about 4 ripe)
1 whole banana for garnish
2 large eggs
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract

Honey-Cinnamon Frosting
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar, 1/2 c. butter (room temperature), 1 T. honey and 1/8 t. ground cinnamon until smooth, 4-5 minutes.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not over mix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds and place one on each cupcake.

Praline Pumpkin Muffins

I made these muffins the other morning to use up my left-over canned pumpkin that has just been SITTING in my fridge. We had them for breakfast and they were so-so. Around 8 that night, I was having a sweet tooth craving so I tried another one. It was like trying a whole different muffin! It was a little piece of pumpkin heaven in my mouth! If you like pumpkin, TRY THESE!

Praline Topping:
3 T. butter, cut into pieces
1/3 c. flour
3 T. light brown sugar
1/3 c. finely chopped pecans

Muffin Batter:
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t. salt
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/3 c. unsulfured molasses
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. mini chocolate chips. optional

Directions:

Combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub them into a crumbly topping. Set it aside. Heat oven to 400 degrees and grease the bottoms only of 12 standard muffin cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together both flours and the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, molasses, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients just until the batter is blended. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle on the praline topping.

Bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one come out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them.

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

I am finally posting my bread contribution before November disappears! I love this recipe because it is quick, healthy, and you can use lots of food storage items for it. Enjoy!

1 C buttermilk (or any milk, I use reconstited dry milk)
1 egg
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 t. soda
1/2 C packed brown sugar or 1/2 C applesauce or frozen orange juice
1 C rolled oats
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 C vegetable oil

Pour buttermilk over oats. Let stand 5 minutes. Add egg and brown sugar to oats and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients and oil. Mix well. If raisins or dates or other fruits such as apple chunks etc. are desired add them.

Spoon into 12 greased muffins tins or cup cake liners. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 min. or until brown. Makes 12.

Moist Pineapple Carrot Muffins

1 c. crushed pineapple in juice [8 oz. can)
3 c. flour (whole wheat or white)
2 c. sugar (or 1 c. honey)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
2 Large eggs
1 egg white [or can just put in three eggs total]
1/2 c. safflower oil [can put butter in for part of it]
2 t. vanilla
2 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. applesauce

Preheat oven to 350*F. Sift the dry ingredients. Make a well and drop the wet ingredients in the middle. Mix together. Separate the egg whites; put eggs in and add the egg whites last if using whole wheat flour. Beat 1 1/2 minutes or until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and applesauce. You can add nuts or raisins if you want. Put into greased muffin tins. Bake for 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.

Cranberry Muffins with Butter Sauce

I thought I'd start by adding my recipe for November's recipe night. This one is perfect with the holidays coming up. And I can't take all the credit for it. My mom used to make something similar, but can't find the recipe. This one comes from one of my cousins.

Muffins
Cream ½ cup sugar with 1 ½ tablespoons butter
Add 1 cup sifted flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt
Add ½ cup evaporated canned milk
Mix in 1 cup raw cranberries. Mix with a spoon, not a mixer. Don’t over mix batter.

Fill greased muffins tins ½ full. Bake at 350° for 30 min. makes 8 muffins.

Butter sauce
Mix:
1 cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
½ pound butter (2 sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook over very low heat for ½ hour, just before serving. Pour desired amount over muffins. Makes enough for a double/tripled muffin recipe.