Christmas Morning Muffins

I know what you’re thinking – Christmas morning was Tuesday and I’m a little late on the uptake posting a recipe for muffins that are to be consumed during the wee hours of the 25^th. But it seems, here in PA anyway, that Christmas ends up lasting more than just the one day, even in spite of the fact that it fell on a Tuesday and I may or may not have to work every other day this week. These are easy and delicious and they taste like Christmas day with all their orange-cranberry goodness. Having one of these for breakfast just might make waking up for work (in a snow/sleet/wind drenched area, let me add) not so terrible. :)

Ingredients:

-1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

-3 teaspoons baking powder

-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

-1/3 cup sugar

-generous pinch of nutmeg

-1 clementine or small orange

-whole milk (approximately ¼ cup)

-1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

-1 large egg

-1/2 cup dried cranberries OR mix and match with your favorite nut (I used almonds)

-2 teaspoons sugar

-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

-12 cup muffin pan with paper baking cups

Directions:

-Preheat your oven to 400◦

-In a bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg over and combine again.

-Slice your clementine in half and squeeze (really squeeze – get as much out of there as you can) the juice into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk so that your liquid mixture reaches the 2/3 cup line.

-Crack your egg into the juice/milk mixture and then add your melted butter. Stir.

-Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until shoddily combined. Gently fold in your cranberries (and nuts if using). Spoon into the muffin cups.

-Combine the sugar and cinnamon and spinkle generously over the muffins. Bake for twenty minutes. Enjoy warm or room temperature, preferably with butter.

Recipe from Nigella Lawson's How to be a Domestic Goddess. 

A cookbook purchase you will not regret, if only for some light bedtime reading!