Basil Blueberry Muffins

Yesterday I had the pleasure of stopping in to Crop-to-Cup/the Co-Op on Atlantic Avenue where I tried a Bread Meat Bread blueberry muffin with basil.  It changed my life.  These should be a staple.  Here is my own version, a simple recipe with no cinnamon, citrus or vanilla so that the basil shines.

Basil Blueberry Muffins
2/3 cup buttermilk 
3/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 pint of blueberries (add an extra handful if you have it)
3-4 tbsp chopped basil (fine but not invisible)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Liberally butter muffin tins (18) and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl, beat the egg.  Add the oil and buttermilk, combine and set aside.
3.  In another large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Make sure everything is evenly distributed.
4.  Rinse the blueberries, shaking off excess moisture.  While still damp, toss them into the dry mixture.  Add basil.  Fold gently until blueberries are coated.
5.  Fold wet mixture into dry until just combined, careful not to overwork it.
6.  Using an ice cream scoop (trust me, this is the way to go) or a large spoon, distribute the batter into tins.
7.  Place tins in oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Good Morning! Morning Glory Muffins

A week doesn't go by without me wishing two things: (1) It is summer, and I am on an ocean beach (2) I have in my possession a beautiful Morning Glory Muffin ready for snacking.  This recipe is a slight modification from the original Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket as featured in Gourmet.

Morning Glory Muffins
1 apple, peeled and grated (trick: grate the apple as a whole, using the core as a handle)
2 cups carrots, coarsely grated (use a food processor or you will be grating all day)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup sugar (use only 1 cup if using sweetened apple sauce)
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce (preferably unsweetened, adjust sugar if sweetened)
1 tsp vanilla



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tins well.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  Add the first five ingredients, and stir.
3.  Whisk remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, and then add to dry mixture.
4. Spoon into muffin tray and bake for thirty minutes or until the muffins are firm and spring back to touch. Take out of the oven and cool on wire racks. For best results, let sit several hours (24 ideally) before eating.

Maple Bourbon Banana Bread

I was hoping that last night's snow storm would hit with some force... and in anticipation, I planned a banana bread recipe to warm up with. Alas, we have just a dusting, but I still think there is sufficient reason to eat half a loaf of ooey, gooey, tangy banana bread.

 

(Oops, I couldn't wait to take a bite...)

I like my banana bread to be beyond moist- wet chunks of banana wrapped in a crumbly bread. Feel free to adjust the flour or take out the yogurt if you prefer a more traditional bread.

Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas (I like to use three completely brown ones and a yellow one for texture)
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled (room temp will also do)
1/4 yogurt, non-fat plain
1/3 cup of sugar (I used 1/2 cup and found it too sweet initially)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1+ tbsp bourbon (to taste)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (I like to use a whole tbsp with the bourbon, but if you don't like vanilla, cut it in half)
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups flour (I used mostly whole wheat pastry flour, but all purpose will do nicely)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2+ cup chopped pecans

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease one loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas and butter.  Add the sugar and maple syrup and keep mixing.  Stir in yogurt,  vanilla and bourbon and taste (adjust if necessary).  Add the egg.

In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until evenly distributed.  Add to wet mixture until just incorporated.**  Pour into greased pan and bake for one hour.

** If your batter looks too wet, add 1/4 cup more flour.