Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

I have a serious problem. I can't stop making muffins. Once you get the basic proportions down of wet to dry, you can ad lib to your heart's content. Muffins have now become a staple on my lunch, and they come in handy when I need an energy boost after a squash game. I am going to noodle around with the recipe in the future--I think oat flour, spelt flour, etc, would work just as well as the wheat flour.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 12 muffins

- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup oat bran

- 1 cup oatmeal (plus extra for muffin tops)

- 1 1/2 cup soy milk

- 1/3 cup canola oil

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 tsp maple extract

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin.

1. Soak raisins in hot water.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, spices, salt, and bran in a bowl. Mix in oatmeal. In a separate bowl, whisk together soy milk, oil, and extracts until well-blended.
3. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just moist. Divide batter into muffin tins and sprinkle some oatmeal over each muffin. Bake for 18-20 mins, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Here is the view from my front porch. This is pretty much how things have looked for the past week or so. Makes you want to curl up by the fire with a cup of tea and a muffin.