I'M ON A MUFFIN KICK--MI COTTAGE COOK'S RED RASPBERRY MUFFINS AND HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING MUFFINS

I love muffins when the weather starts to get warm and summer looks to be on its way. As cold as it has been this May in Michigan, we are wondering if we are going to have summer, but in warm or cold weather, muffins hit the spot.  Muffins are terrific way to dress up a salad lunch or dinner. They are great to grab for a quick breakfast on your way out to the Farmer’s Market or an early morning grandchild’s soccer or baseball game. A few on a plate and given to a friend makes that person feel very special. They also freeze well for unexpected company or events.

COTTAGE COOK’S RED RASPBERRY MUFFINS
I took a favorite muffin recipe and tinkered with it to make these red raspberry muffins. My Cross Connected women’s group declared them a success. Almond and allspice accentuate the rich flavor of the red raspberries and take the muffins to new heights.

Ingredients.

1/2 c butter or vegetable oil or (half butter or oil and half applesauce)
1 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c flour
2 t baking powder
¼ t allspice
1/2 t salt
1 t almond extract
1/2 c milk
2 c red raspberries, fresh or frozen
½ c sliced almonds, optional but good
2 t sugar for muffin tops

Soften butter, if using. Using an electric mixer, cream butter or oil together with the one cup of sugar. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well until blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in dry ingredients, milk, almond extract, red raspberries and almonds. Grease 12 muffin tins or use cupcake liners, I spray the inside of the paper liners. (I usually end up with 14 muffins as my old muffin tins are small.) Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin tins to the top with batter. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the two teaspoons sugar. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

                 Spray inside of liners with cooking spray for easy removal.

                                       Mix dry ingredients together.

Cream butter/oil with sugar.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Fold in dry ingredients.

Gently fold in milk, extract and raspberries .

Scoop or spoon into sprayed muffin papers.

Top with sugar.

                                       Baked and ready to go to church.


HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING MUFFINS
-Always measure ingredients carefully.

-To make good muffins, the mixing of the dry and liquid ingredients must be kept to the absolute minimum. Stir just to moisten, the batter will be lumpy. Lumps in the batter are no problem with muffins.

-Shiny aluminum pans are best. With dark colored pans, reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees.

-Always preheat oven when baking muffins.

-Fill muffin cups with a large spoon, ice cream scoop or pour batter from a pitcher. Fill any empty cups half full with water to insure even baking.

-Muffins are done when they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. To prevent soggy muffins, remove from pan immediately unless recipe directions say otherwise.

-More fragile muffins should cool for a couple of minutes in the pan and then be removed from the pan to prevent soggy bottoms.