APPLE-PUMPKIN MUFFINS

 This recipe goes together quickly and easily and the muffins bake up with nice round tops covered with a sweet streusel topping.

This muffin is perfect for the lunch box or mid-day coffee break (recipe makes 18 muffins); they freeze well and a quick re-heat in the microwave gives you piping hot muffins that taste just like it came out of the oven. 

2 ½ cups flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon (see substitution note below)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs slightly beaten
(1) 15 ounce can of pumpkin
½ cup canola oil
2 cups cooking apples (peeled and chopped small)

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix dry ingredients until well mixed, set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs slightly then add pumpkin and vegetable oil - whisk until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of chopped apples. Add pumpkin-apple mixture to dry mixture and blend thoroughly. Spoon batter equally into paper lined cupcake pans. Top with streusel topping (recipe below) and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

STREUSEL TOPPING
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup white sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons melted butter

Mix streusel ingredients with your fingers until you get a dry crumbly topping. Put a little on each muffin before you bake.

NOTE: You can substitute 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon-ginger-nutmeg combination.

NOTE: Let muffins cool down a little, but before they are entirely cold, cover with plastic wrap. Muffins should be stored covered.

NOTE: Recipe says to bake for 35-40 minutes. My oven cooked these in 35 minutes exactly.

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