Tuesday 28 February 2012

Do you know where the GOOD Muffin Man lives?

Ahhh Muffins...

One of my favourite carbohydrates.  I really enjoy making these quick breads, smelling their goodness while they bake and then slathering them with buddah and taking a nice lady-like bite right out of it....

I usually make at least one batch of muffins a week.  My husband is in the oil patch and gets up early.  So it is nice for him to break open his lunch box in the morning and enjoy a muffin...a GOOD muffin. That is the crux of the matter.  There are way too many muffin recipes out there that are actually recipes for hard, dry lumps of flour.  So disheartening and YUCKY! 

So I have been on a quest, like the mighty knights my sons pretend to be, to fight off the hard lumpy chunks o' bad muffins to find the the beauteous, moist muffins that we all love!  So far in my quest I have discovered and practised 5 GOOD muffin recipes.  Sounds kinda sad when you think of how many muffin recipes I have tried.  But having 5 good ones is better than none.  I might have given up and just bought those preservatives filled "muffins" at the store that have expiry dates for 2015...

1) Applesauce Spice Muffins
2) Banana Chocochip Muffins
3) Blueberry Bran Muffins
4) Date Chocolate Chip Muffins
5) Orange Cranberry Muffins

So here is our most favourite of wondrously moist muffins. 

Applesauce Spice Muffins - I found this recipe on Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog.

This makes a double batch.  You can easily cut it in half.


Muffin Batter
 -4 eggs
 -2 cups white sugar
 -1 1/2 cups oil
 -1 3/4 cups apple sauce
 -3 cups flour
 -1 tbsp cinnamon
 -1/4 tsp nutmeg
 -1/4 tsp cloves
 -2 tsp baking powder
 -2 tsp baking soda
 -1 tsp salt
 
Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and applesauce. Add all dry ingredients and beat until well blended.  Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill each cup to almost full. Sprinkle approximately 1 tsp of brown sugar on the top of each muffin. Bake in 375º oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Yields 2 dozen muffins.

2 comments:

  1. Mmmmmm... I just changed up the Company's Coming Poppyseed muffin recipe a bit and they turned out fairly well. They would have been better if I'd cooked them a minute or two less though.

    1.25 cups milk
    1/4 cup poppy seeds

    *Mix these and let sit for app. 10 minutes

    1/4 cup butter
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 egg
    1 tsp vanilla

    *Cream butter, sugar and egg in another bowl. Add vanilla. Stir in poppy seed mixture.

    2 cups flour
    1 tbsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp salt

    Measure flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir to mix well. Make a well in center, pour mixture into well, stir only to moisten. (Truth be told, I did this all in my mixer.)

    Bake at 400F for 15 - 20 min. (I'd say closer to 15.) Makes 12.

    I was looking for a lemon poppy seed muffin recipe. Couldn't find one... so... I improvised. I used this recipe and added the rind and juice from one lemon. YUM. I was a bit concerned that the lemon juice would curdle the milk, so I added that to the butter, sugar and egg before adding the poppy seed mixture.

    They turned out fairly well. I cooked them for 17 minutes, 15 would have been better I think. They would also be very good with a lemon glaze on top -- but I opted out of all that extra sugar this time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have made this recipe as well. But I love that you made it Lemony! I love lemony. We liked this recipe but found it was borderline for dry. I am going to do what you did, and only cook 15 min. I also think I am going to take out 1/3 cup of flour....hmmm....

    ReplyDelete