He lives on Drury Lane

In college I worked at one of the best coffee houses I've been in to date. It was actually a bit of a downfall because they made a lot of really fattening food ... and I ate a lot of it. Fortunately it was the kind of town where I didn't need to use my car, and I walked and rode my bike as much as possible. I actually never once purchased a parking permit for the school parking lot; even in the bitter cold or rain, I would walk. Oh, the good old days.

Wait, that's not what I'm here to write about!

Well, if I haven't mentioned it, we have an apple tree in our yard. Our landlady did not expect it to produce fruit this year, but it did and boy was it good! We are drowning in some of the most delicious apples I have ever tasted. So, it only seemed right to pull out the trusty recipe that has been adapted from the recipe that was used at the aforementioned coffeehouse.

Today I made them with apples, but they are delicious with a variety of fruits. For Rosemary's birthday in April, I made them with fresh strawberries and they were some of the best muffins I have ever had. I still have some in the freezer and am saving them for a special occasion.

Delicious Fruited Muffins

4 1/3 cups flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
2.5 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups canola oil*
2 eggs
4 t. vanilla
1 c. sugar
3 c. fruit and/or chocolate**

1. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix together with a whisk.
2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
3. Combine oil, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and eggs in a liquid pitcher. Whisk liquid ingredients together and pour over dry ingredients.
4. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula. DO NOT OVER MIX!
5. Add fruit, etc. right before batter is completely combined and stir in lightly.
6. Scoop batter into greased muffin tin and sprinkle tops with sugar (I used a cinnamon/sugar mix to go with the apples).
7. Bake until edges are golden brown , the tops are light brown, and the muffins are not doughy.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-20 minutes.


* I made this with 3/4 cup applesauce and 3/4 cup canola oil, and while they were still good ... they weren't as good.

**I added nearly 4 cups of apples and feel like it would be better with more. I also wonder if I diced the apples too small.