Apple Nut Muffins

Let me take you back to the last week of September.  My kids had already started begging me to let them put up Halloween stuff.  I put it off as long as I could, but the last Saturday before October I gave in.  I brought out my giant bin of Halloween decorations, set it inside, and I went back outside to finish cleaning the garage.  My kids took it upon themselves to put out all the decorations- in the best way that they could as a 6 and 8 year old.  It was all I could do with my OCD issues to let some things be different than they have been for years and years.  Luckily, I baked some of these tasty muffins to mellow me out.  These were great!

If you read the post that goes along with the Caramel Apple Pie, I still have some apples from my friend that gave me a giant load of apples and pears!  They are never going away!  When I went to get apples from her, she handed me some photocopied pages of a small cookbook and smiled.  When I read the title, it was a "Fall Baking Cookbook" and there was a whole section on orchard fruit baked goods.  Oh, dear!  I could have made a different one every day of the week for two weeks!  I did try these muffins, which were phenomenal.  My kids gobbled them up,  

Source: From a small "Fall Baking" cookbook from a friend

1 1/2 c flour

2/3 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c oats

1 T baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/8 t nutmeg

1/8 t ginger

1 c coarsely chopped peeled apples

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1/2 c chopped pitted dates (I omitted these- mainly because I think they look like mummified cockroaches)

1/2 c butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1/4 c milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin tins or use paper muffin liners.

Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger in a large bowl.  Add the apples, walnuts, and dates (If using)

In a small bowl, whisk the butter, eggs, and milk until well-mixed.  Stir into dry ingredients until all the flour is incorporated.  Spoon the batter into the muffin cups.  It makes 12 muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  

Cool and eat!