Orange Date Muffins

From Dana Mosebrook of Gladys

INGREDIENTS:

	½ cup pitted dates
	1⁄2 cup sugar, divided
	1 orange, sliced and seeded (leave peel on)
	1 egg
	¼ cup margarine
	½ cup orange juice
	1½ cups flour
	1 t baking powder
	1 t soda
	1 t salt

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400°. Put 18 muffin papers into muffin pans. In food processor, process dates and half of the sugar until coarsely chopped. Add orange and process until finely chopped. Add remaining sugar, egg, margarine and orange juice and process 25 seconds. Add flour, baking powder, soda and salt and process just until moistened. Spoon into muffin cups and bake 15 minutes at 400°.

Apple Sauce Puffs

From Nancy Heyer of Stafford

INGREDIENTS:

	1 egg
	2 T salad oil
	¼ cup milk
	½ cup apple sauce
	½ cup sugar
	1 t cinnamon
	2 cups Bisquick

Topping

	2 T butter
	¼ cup sugar
	¼ t cinnamon

DIRECTIONS: Grease muffin tins or use paper liners. Mix all ingredients except topping. Fill muffin tins and bake in preheated oven at 400° about 15 minutes. Topping: Melt butter; combine cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl. Dip each muffin in butter, then cinnamon/sugar mixture. Makes 12. 

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

From Laura Jessup of Manassas Park

INGREDIENTS:

	3 large bananas
	3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
	1 large egg
	1⁄3 cup unsweetened applesauce
	1⁄2 cup whole-wheat flour
	1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
	1⁄2 cup cocoa powder
	1⁄2 t salt
	1 t baking powder
	1 t baking soda
	1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375° with rack in middle position. Line muffin tins. In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add in the sugar, egg, and applesauce. Mix until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together whole-wheat flour, all-

purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Quickly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Pumpkin Bread

From Michelle Pfeiffer of Powhatan

INGREDIENTS:

	31⁄2 cups flour
	2 t baking soda
	11⁄2 t salt
	2 t cinnamon
	1 t nutmeg
	3 cups sugar
	2 cups pumpkin
	2⁄3 cup water
	1 cup vegetable oil
	4 eggs

DIRECTIONS: Sift dry ingredients together. Mix pumpkin, water, oil, and eggs together. Pour into dry mixture and mix well. Pour into 2 greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake in 350° oven (preheated) for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. Cool before

removing from pans. 

Pecan Pie Muffins

From Beth James of Courtland

INGREDIENTS:

	1 cup light brown sugar
	2 eggs, beaten
	2⁄3 cup softened butter
	1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
	1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease muffin pan (a miniature-cup pan works best). Combine brown sugar, eggs and butter; add flour and nuts. Mix by hand, then fill each muffin cup 3⁄4 full. Bake

20-25 minutes for regular muffins, less time for miniatures.  

Breakfast Biscuit Muffins

From Robin Smith of Prince George

INGREDIENTS:

	10-ct. can biscuits
	Pre-cooked and crumbled bacon, sausage or ham
	Shredded cheese
	Chopped bell pepper/tomato, optional
	5 eggs, beaten with salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375°. Separate biscuits, place in regular-size muffin pan. Top with pre-cooked, crumbled bacon, sausage or ham. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Add diced red/green bell pepper and/or tomato, if desired. Top each muffin cup with about a tablespoon of beaten eggs to bind the ingredients. Bake 13-19 minutes, until golden brown and eggs are set. Serve warm; can be microwaved the next day.