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It’s more apple recipes today. Often called “The King of Fruits”, the apple is probably the oldest fruit known to man. Many believe that the apples were forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. In the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 32:10 and Psalms 15:8, both Moses and David used the expression “the apple of his eye.” Greek mythology tells of a golden apple inscribed “to the fairest” which actually causes the Trojan War. I don’t know how an apple could cause a war, but, oh well. Do you eat muffins? I’m guessing you do. So it’s apple muffins with added ingredients. They make a nice addition to any meal, or for a snack.

APPLE CARROT MUFFINS
1-1/2 c. each flour and raisin bran cereal
3/4 c. sugar
1-1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 t. cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. canola or vegetable oil
1 t. pure vanilla extract or 2 t. imitation vanilla extract
3/4 c. each, peeled, cored, finely chopped tart apples finely shredded carrots
1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

Mix first six ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in next four ingredients in a small bowl; stir into first mixture until just moistened. Gently stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon batter into 12 greased or paper lined muffin pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm or cool on the rack. Makes 12 regular-size muffins. Note: If you don’t have pure vanilla, use 2 t. imitation vanilla.

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APPLE YOGURT MUFFINS
2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 six oz. carton vanilla yogurt
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c. canola or vegetable oil
3 T. milk
1 small, tart apple, peeled and diced small
1/3 c. raisins, optional

Topping:
2 T. each flour and sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 T. cold butter or margarine

In a bowl, combine first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine next four ingredients; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Gently stir in apple and raisins (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full.
For topping, combine dry ingredients in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-24 minutes or until tests done. Cool for five minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool. Makes 12 muffins.

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CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS
1/2 c. each, butter or margarine, softened, sugar and packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about four medium or three large)
1 T. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 T. baking soda
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. chocolate chips

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla. In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture just until combined. Gently stir in nuts and chips. Fill 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until tests done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool. Makes two dozen. Note: If you don’t have two pans for the 24 muffins, fill 12 first as it says and put the remaining batter into a greased bread pan (9x5), filling to almost three-fourths full. Increase baking time to about 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick inserted near center.

Some notes: When a recipe such as muffins or quick breads say, “Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened,” do just that. If you beat the batter the muffin or bread will be heavier than it should be and form a  “peak” rather than be rounded on top. Almost all muffins and breads can be frozen. Here’s what I do: when the product is completely cool, I put it in the freezer without being wrapped. When it’s frozen, I take it out and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. This way the product will not “sweat” when it’s thawed. I do somewhat the same with some fresh veggies like lettuce, cabbage, etc., except I freeze them briefly and wrap in paper toweling and put them in a plastic bag. They stay fresh longer.

Thought for the Day: A small town is a place where mass transportation means giving someone a ride to church.

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