Apple Cream Cheese Muffins

    Since apples are in season, I felt inspired to make these delicious Apple Cream Cheese Muffins. I found the recipe in one of those mini Pillsbury magazines you find in the grocery aisle five or six years ago. I think they're delish.
    They are a great way to use up any old or bruised apples you may have, and they freeze well so you don't have to worry about them going stale (Not that stale muffins are a huge concern in this house).

Apple Cream Cheese Muffins:

Photo from Pillsbury: Hamburger Edition 2006

Ingredients:

Muffins:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (Reserve 1 Tbsp. in a separate bowl for the filling)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten (Reserve 1 Tbsp. Add to the same bowl as the reserved brown sugar, for the filling)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce (I used my Homemade Apple Pie Filling. Just toss it in a food processor to purée and Voila)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup apple, peeled and shredded (about 1 lg. or 2 sm.)
1/3 cup cream cheese, softened

Streusel:

3 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened

Directions:
(1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tray, by spraying with cooking spray or lining with muffin cups.
(2) In a large mixing bowl, combine all but 1 Tbsp. of the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

(3) Add the oil, applesauce, vanilla, and remaining egg to the flour mixture.
Beat on medium speed until combined. Stir in the shredded apple.

(4) Add the reserved 1 Tbsp. of brown sugar and 1 Tbsp. of egg to a food processor. Add the cream cheese. Pulse to combine.

(5) Fill the muffin tray less than half full with the apple cinnamon batter. Top each with 1 tsp. of the cream cheese mixture. Top each with a spoonful of the remaining batter to fill the cups 2/3rds full.




Make a small well inside the batter
to hold the cream cheese mixture.

Add the cream cheese mixture.

Top with the remaining batter.

(6) In a small bowl, mix all the streusel ingredients; sprinkle over batter.

(7) Bake 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from pan. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.



*Recipe yields 12 muffins.

You may also like:

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

What we did on this rainy Saturday Afternoon...

    Everyone has their GO-TO Banana Muffin/Bread recipe that they use whenever they have a bunch of over ripe banana's laying around.  I received my Banana Muffin/ Bread recipe from my mother. These muffins are one of the first things I taught myself to make once I left the nest. They are nothing extravagant, just plain ole' Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. But my family loves them, and when I make them they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins:

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 egg

1/2 cup butter, melted

walnuts (optional)

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

2 Tbsp. baking powder

3 Lg. banana's, mashed

pinch of salt

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup water

Directions:

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) Spray a muffin tray with cooking spray. (Or you can use liners if you prefer)

(3) Mash banana's in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the egg, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and some salt. Stir to combine.

(4) In a 2nd medium sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.

(5) Combine wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.

(6) Add the water and the milk. Stir to combine. This will loosen the batter.

(7) Add the chocolate chips, coconut and walnuts if desired. Stir to combine.

(8) Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin tray.

(9) Bake for 18-20 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

* If you would prefer to make Banana Loaf instead, just pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.

Recipe Yields 12 Muffins or 1 Loaf.

You may also like:
Double Chocolate Banana Loaf with Toasted Walnuts
Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Savory Corn Muffins for dunking in Chili or Stew...

Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins:

(Adapted from Janet and Greta Podleski's Crazy Plates Cookbook)

Fresh from the oven.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 can (14oz) cream-style corn
1/2 cup buttermilk (to create your own buttermilk combine 1/2 cup of milk with 1/2 Tbsp. of
             white vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes. The buttermilk will look curdled,
             but that is the result you want)
1 egg
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 fresh jalapeno or 1 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno
     
Directions:
(1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup muffin generously with a non-stick spray and set aside.
(2) In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
(3) In a medium bowl, whisk together cream-style corn, buttermilk, egg, melted butter and jalapenos.
(4) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
(5) Divide batter among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin, comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.
(6) Remove muffins from tin and cool slightly on a wire rack. Best served warm.

* Makes 12 Muffins
* Pairs well with Texas Style Chili

Nutritional Value: (Per Muffin)
Calories 147                                Carbohydrates 27.4 grams
Fat 3 grams                                  Fiber 1.3 grams
Saturated Fat 1.4 grams               Cholesterol 23.5 grams
Protein 3.5 grams                         Sodium 340.8 milligrams