Wild Blueberry Muffins

• 1 cup white unbleached flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup ground flax seed (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ cup maple syrup, honey, or molasses
• ¼ cup melted butter or canola oil
• ¾ cup fresh or frozen wild blueberries
• ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400º. Combine the first ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, sweetening, and butter or oil. Stir wet ingredients into dry, until combined. Fill greased muffin tin cups ½ to ¾ full. Bake 20 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.

This recipe first appeared in the July 2008 issue of Our State magazine.

Apricot Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

• ⅔ cup pureed apricots
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ sticks butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, measured after sifting
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ ground nuts

Combine apricots with baking soda in a bowl large enough to allow mixture to foam. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour with sugar and salt. Add to creamed mixture, along with vanilla, blending just until dry ingredients are moistened. Be careful not to overmix.

Divide batter among 12 muffin cups, filling each cup ⅔ full. Bake at 350º for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool on rack.

This recipe first appeared in the April 1994 issue of Our State magazine.

Additional muffin recipes:

Peaches ‘n Cream Muffins
Skyline Apple Muffins