Happy 2014!

Happy 2014!  I can't believe another year has zipped right on by.  I love this time of year...I love taking the time to reflect on what I (and my family) have accomplished the past year and I like taking the time to think about new goals for the new year. 

I have been off work since December 20th...so I have been spending a LOT of time organizing my home and in a way...my life.  I (and my husband) burned up one paper shredder and put our brand new one under heavy use.  Closets have been cleaned out, they pantry organized...and lots of lists being made. 

Today I took the whole day to make muffins, muffins and more muffins.  I made triple chocolate muffins for Cassidy (can that really be considered a muffin...or an unfrosted cupcake?)  I made blueberry muffins for my husband.  Normally for me I make a cream cheese pumpkin muffin...but I found a new recipe to make today. 

Sweet Apple Butter Muffins.  Since I canned a bunch of apple butter this past fall, I thought this would be a good way to use it up.  And...it was a great muffin!  Even my "it is not a muffin unless it has blueberries" husband loved this new muffin.  I found this recipe in the "Gooseberry Patch Mom's Favorite Recipes" cookbook.

1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 T. sugar divided *                
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup apple butter **
1/3 cup chopped pecans ***

Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl; set aside.  Blend egg, milk, vanilla and oil together; mix into flour mixture. Spoon about one tablespoon batter into each muffin cup (can be paper-lined...I didn't line with paper); add one teaspoon apple butter. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with remaining batter; set aside. Toss pecans with remaining sugar; sprinkle evenly on tops of muffins. Bake at 400 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center removes clean...about 20 minutes.  Makes one dozen.

*I did not use this extra sugar.  Instead I sprinkled the top of the muffins with a cinnamon sugar blend.

**I thought I was supposed to use a tablespoon on apple butter...not 1 teaspoon.  More is better I think.

***Did not top with pecans...my husband wouldn't have tried them if I had.  Still tasted great.

I made over 70 muffins today...doubled each batch.  They are tucked into the freezer and will make a great breakfast for us all for the next month or two!