Cranberry-Eggnog Muffins

These are fabulous muffins!

For the muffins

• 1 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup apple juice or rum
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups eggnog
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

Prepare the muffins:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mist muffin pan with cooking spray.  Warm cranberries and apple juice in a small saucepan over medium heat, then remove from the heat and let steep 5 minutes.  Drain.

Whisk flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl.

Whisk butter, eggnog, eggs and vanilla in another bowl.  Gently fold into the flour mixture.  (The batter will be lumpy; do not overmix.)  Fold in the cranberries.  Divide the batter evenly among 18 muffin cups.

Make the topping:  Mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, salt and brown sugar in a bowl with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand.  Sprinkle generously over the batter.

Bake until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18 to 22 minutes.  Cool slightly in the pan, then carefully remove to a rack.

Makes 18 muffins.

“Our salvation is secure because God does the holding.”

Banana Crumb Muffins

These are the “best” banana muffins ever.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled

Topping:

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter.  Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon.  Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Sprinkle topping over muffins.  (To keep topping from falling off, put a cookie cutter the size of the muffin cup on top and then fill with topping.)

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Serves 12.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”