Apple Raisin and Oatmeal Muffins

Today may be Valentine’s Day but a week ago it was pretty exciting to wake up to a snow day. Today might involve a bit of chocolate – no complaints, but last Friday was all about making muffins to enjoy while watching what we here in Tennessee call a real snow. Muffins can be confusing. That sounds weird, but how many times have you been offered a muffin that tasted more like bird food than a delicious treat? The line between healthy and delicious seems to be more firmly represented in muffins. You can count on cookies, cake is always cake, but there are people who consider muffins to be a vehicle for healthy eating while showing a total disregard for the idea of a truly yummy muffin. Here’s the thing – a muffin can actually contain things that are good for you and taste good at the same time. That’s what these muffins are all about. It’s hard to complain about apples, raisins, oatmeal, and brown sugar and it certainly is hard to resist a nice warm muffin that contains all those good things whether it’s a snow day or sunny morning in the garden. These muffins are so good and so easy to make, you might want to make two batches and freeze some for those breakfasts on the run or afternoon snack attacks.

The hardest part is to chop up an apple and I think we all have that skill mastered. Flour sugar, canola oil, and eggs make up the basic batter while nutmeg and cinnamon add the extra kick along with the raisins and oatmeal.

The puppies were excited about the snow and got extra excited when they saw oatmeal – which goes in the weekly baking of dog treats so leaving raisins out of one muffin they could share made the snow day even better. One batch was designated to take to a brunch the next day and – well – I’m not sure how it happened but the rest just sort of disappeared. That’s what happens with these muffins – they must be magic. Happy Valentine’s Day – make muffins for someone you love. Enjoy!

Apple Raisin and Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients

1 egg

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup canola oil

¾ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1 cup oats

1 cup raisins

1 apple, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or by hand) combine egg, sugar, brown sugar, oil, milk and vanilla.

Mix in flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Add oats, raisins and apples stirring just to combine.

Fill muffin cups ¾ of the way full and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Serve warm with butter or at room temperature.