Mini-Orange Crumble Top Muffins with Orange Butter

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (9 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, thawed

2 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Orange-Butter, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 small muffins tins (with 24 (1 3/4-inch) wells), and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups of flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a bowl, beat together the egg, 8 tablespoons of the butter, the milk, orange juice concentrate, and 2 teaspoons of the zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, combining just until moistened and being careful not to overmix. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins, filling each halfway.

To make the crumble topping, in a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, the chopped pecans, the brown sugar, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon of grated zest. Mix to combine and sprinkle 1 teaspoon on top of the batter for each muffin. Bake until the muffins are set and golden brown and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes in the tins, then cool on wire racks. Serve with orange-butter on the side.

Orange-Butter:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade
1 teaspoon honey

In a bowl, cream together the ingredients. Transfer to a decorative crock or small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly firm. Serve with the muffins or spread on toast.



Yield: about 3/4 cup

Apple Strudel Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped apples -
(add more apple is you wish, shred half and chop half)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoon butter


375 degrees F Oven

Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon and nuts. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.

Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Zucchini Jam Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup peach jam or preserves
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 zucchini (4 oz. total) shredded and drained on paper towels
• 1 cup dark raisins or dried sweet cherries
• 1/4 cup pecans or almonds, chopped (optional)

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Grease muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, jam, vanilla and zucchini until blended. Add the flour mixture in three additions and beat just until evenly moistened and smooth. Stir in the raisins or cherries and nuts (if using) just until evenly distributed. The batter will be stiff.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each no more than three-fourths full. Bake until the muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 (mine took 18) minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve them warm or at room temperature, with butter and more jam.

Makes 10-12 muffins.

NOTE: I froze these after they were cool in a large Ziploc bag. I defrosted/warmed them in the microwave for 45 seconds and we were able to enjoy them throughout the week and they tasted just as fresh, if not better.

The original recipe calls for canola oil, but I used softened butter and it worked out just fine.

Brian Taylor's bourbon-pecan pie muffins

Taylor placed second in the Evan Williams bourbon cook-off with these simple bourbon-infused muffins

1 cup dark-brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans soaked overnight in ½ cup Evan Williams or other good bourbon

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together sugar, butter and eggs. Add flour, salt and vanilla extract. Pour off excess bourbon and stir in pecans. Bake in muffin tins, 26-30 minutes. Makes about 8 muffins.