More muffins!

I'm getting ready for a weekend away with friends, and decided to take some muffins so we can have a quick breakfast before a snowshoeing activity we have planned.  I had some cranberries in the freezer and it's snowing, so some comforting winter flavors seemed in order.  The muffins turned out moist and yummy.  Give these a try.

Orange Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 24 muffins

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup brown sugar (NOT packed)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup canola oil
2 Tablespoons orange zest
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Spray 24 muffins cups with baking spray or use paper liners.

Heat cranberries with one tablespoon of water until the cranberries burst open.  Mash slightly with a fork.

Beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil and orange zest until smooth.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, spices and salt.  Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture, then mix together with a spoon just until moistened.  Fold in the cranberries and their liquid.

Spoon into the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.

Apple-Raisin Bran Muffins

This winter I've been paying more attention to what I eat - guess it's time to get more "mindful" about such things.  So there's been less pie and more high fiber/nutritious food being made around here.  My favorite breakfast lately has been a bran muffin.  Gosh, I must be getting old!  I have been making and freezing the Raisin Bran muffins I posted a few months ago, which I can grab and quickly microwave in the morning.  Then I found another muffin version which is my new favorite.  The original recipe came from a box of Western Family brand Raisin Bran cereal.  These also freeze beautifully and microwave from frozen to "oven fresh" in about 30 seconds.

Apple-Raisin Bran Muffins

Makes about 18 muffins

1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal (if you don't like raisins, use plain bran cereal)
2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large or 2 small apples, peeled and chopped finely (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin pans with nonstick spray.  Combine the cereal, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla and let stand for 10 minutes.  Stir to break up the cereal, then stir in the apples and nuts.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.  Add the cereal mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened, it will be a thick batter.  Spoon into the muffin pans and bake 16 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on rack.