Peach Poppy Seed Muffins

Yesterday I shared my new favorite recipe for Beef Stew.  Tomorrow I'm posting another soup recipe.  And I have some other wintery recipes I want to get out of my "drafts" column before winter slips away.  I have also been holding on to this peach poppy seed muffin recipe for awhile because it seemed more like a warm weather recipe.  But today I took a walk in a t-shirt, saw a bunch of daffodils in bloom (I love daffodils!), and I had to reset all the clocks in my house after the previous night's thunderstorms.  It felt like Spring.  So in that spirit, I just have to share this recipe! 

These muffins are fresh, fruity, and delicious!  I took these to a church breakfast, and they disappeared at an alarming rate.  I brought these along with my chocolate banana muffins, and the peach poppy seed muffins were gone first!  Yeah, they were more popular than chocolate!

This is a recipe I adapted from an old cookbook.  It is the kind of cookbook that sometimes omits quantities or ingredients, or just assumes you know the steps to make something.  You know the type.  I almost hesitate to even call these muffins because they aren't prepared through the traditional muffin method.  They are actually prepared more like a cupcake.  But if it makes you feel healthier, we'll stick with muffins!

Here's how to make these "muffins."  Start by sifting together flour, baking powder, and salt.  There's a smidgen of whole wheat flour in this recipe.  I didn't even put it there.  It was there when I found it!

Cream together some margarine and sugar.  That's how you make cupcakes, not muffins.  But let's go with it.

Add an egg, some almond flavoring, and milk.  Almond flavoring gives these a nice fresh taste!  Mix it up!

Now add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.  Remember the importance of not over mixing!

Full disclosure: I messed this up.  I made two batches of muffins.  I took pictures of the first batch, and although I thought they looked a little funny, I baked them up.  They still looked funny when I took them out of the oven.  When I made the second batch, I realized that I didn't put enough flour in the first batch.  Oops!  So your batter will be thicker than this!

Anyway, stir in some chopped peaches and poppy seed.  This recipe calls for canned peaches, which I used because it is winter.  But come summer, fresh peaches would be amazing in these muffins! 

Pour your batter into greased muffin tin.  Hopefully your batter doesn't look like this: 

Bake for about 20 minutes.  Hopefully your muffins look like this:

Yum!  Now set them out and watch them magically disappear!

Peach Poppy Seed Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp almond flavoring

1 cup skim milk

1 (16-oz) can peaches, well drained and chopped

2 Tbsp poppy seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners or spray with non-stick baking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer or large bowl with electric mixer, cream margarine with sugar until light.  Add egg, milk, and almond flavoring.  Mix until combined. 

Add flour mixture and mix just until moistened.  Gently fold in peaches and poppy seeds.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe adapted from Mom Street's Collection