I love the guest post below for a number of reasons. It’s from someone who reads our blog (yay!) and she is a fellow “uber-foodie”, hence a kindred spirit. Anya cooks with her son regularly and actually made the recipe below with her children. She also took pity on me and sent me a delicious apple recipe to utilize all the apples we picked on our Sebastopol Adventure . Most of all, I am a sentimental fool and I love that she used to make these muffins with her mother and now she is the mother who makes them with her kids. Family food traditions are priceless! Thank you Anya for sharing one of yours. 🙂
Farmhouse Cheddar Muffins by Anya Soltero
The Yummy Apple Muffins recipe reminded me of the Farmhouse Cheddar Muffins I used to make with my mom in our Richmond District kitchen when I was a kid. I made them as a young adult in my own Haight St. rentals and – inspired by the post – I brought out the well-used cookbook to bake them with my son Caleb, 4, as Sadie, 1, looked on from her high chair.
These muffins are perfect to make on a crisp fall morning. It’s a simple recipe that is not too sweet and can be enjoyed at the breakfast table. I love the apple-cheddar combination, along with the spices and cider, which really bring me into this season. I just wish I had some extra warm apple cider laying around to enjoy with the muffins. The recipe reminds me of a time when my mom was alive and well, and when being under her wing in the kitchen was the closest place to heaven for me. My weekly practice of baking something with Caleb in the kitchen will hopefully pack him full of wonderful memories too, recipes to take through life, and a passion for food and cooking that my mom shared with me. Enjoy!
Farmhouse Cheddar Muffins (Cookbook: From a Baker’s Kitchen, Gail Sher)
Bits of apple, chopped walnuts, and cider make this muffin mildly sweet. Chunks of sharp Farmhouse Cheddar add a surprising contrast.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup, unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, room temp
3/4 cup apple cider (save some for sipping)
1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 large pippin (or any) apple, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup diced farmhouse cheddar (I use sharp Tillamook, or medium when I have it around)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Method:
In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and cider. In a larger bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the apple, cheese, and walnuts. Pour in the liquid mixture and stir only until the dry ingredients are moistened.
Spoon the batter into well-buttered or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake the muffins at 375F for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Oh wow that is really a unique combination for a muffin. With or without kids I am making it. Even better Halloween trick or treat. They will love it.
Great idea to hand these out for Halloween! All that candy we get makes me crazy!
Thanks, Stacie & Simran for posting my contribution. I hope folks enjoy the recipe.
Thank you much for sharing a family tradition and an awesome recipe with us!
mmmm… this muffin is making me hungry now.. thank you for sharing this. i love it.
That’s not a muffin–it’s a meal! It sounds awesome!
these look delicious! i love your use of a guest post! it is such a great idea- ps… cheddar muffins are calling my name!
Give me some of these muffin in the morning, I’ll be so happy whole day! They looks healthy and super yummy!
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wow! Anya, wonderful to hear about your warm and comforting cooking experiences with your mom. I would expect no less. The recipe sounds delicious! I will try it soon….thanks again.
Love, charna
Looks good. Cute blog too.
I tried these over the weekend and they were great…even the two year old liked them! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you liked them! Check out http://cookingwithcaleb.wordpress.com/ – Anya just started her own blog! 🙂
I’m so glad you liked them, Julia. I love that recipe. Those are muffins that are meant to be eaten warm, no!? 🙂
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