Crisscross Applesauce

Because I had applesauce left from our apple-cooking week, I made applesauce muffins to use that last big spoonful. If the rest of my day goes like this baking experience did, I should just go to bed now! But even with the mix-ups and accidents, these are delicious. 

I ran out of all-purpose flour—because I dumped in the wrong spice and had to start over. So the second time, I used half all-purpose flour and half white whole wheat. That worked fine and maybe is a little healthier, too. I poured too fast, so a big splash of vanilla landed in the bowl. So I didn't add in as much from the measuring spoon. I used a "guesstimate" at that point. The oven timer got turned off accidently. Thankfully, I realized that in time to watch for them to brown.

But the finished product was yummy. Maybe this is one of those nearly indestructible recipes. We all need some of those on hand. I love nuts, but I did not add them this time so that Little Sister would eat the muffins. Like many small children, she doesn't like nuts in anything. She is going to miss her Mimi's cooking next week. And I'm pretty sure she will miss her Mimi. We will surely miss her. And Baby Girl. And Mommy, too.

When we drove into our driveway last night, two deer had come back to check the apple trees. One quickly darted away, but this one stayed long enough for me to snap a picture. Sorry, roaming deer, the apples are gone for this year.

APPLESAUCE MUFFINS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup applesauce

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half all-purpose and half white whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Stir in applesauce. Combine flour, baking soda and spices. Stir into creamed mixture. Fold in nuts, if using.

Fill greased muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. 

Cool for 5 minutes and then remove to wire rack. 

Makes 12 muffins.  This recipe can be easily doubled.

If you spend much time around preschoolers, you know what "crisscross applesauce" means. But if it's been years since you had little ones around, you might not be familiar with this term. I first heard it when Mommy was teaching kindergarten a few years ago. It's what we used to call sitting cross-legged or Indian-style. But now when the preschool teachers ask them to sit crisscross applesauce, and every child exactly what to do!

UPDATE: These muffins disappeared so quickly that I made a second batch the next day. With nuts this time. They were supposed to go to the lake but I'm not sure they will last that long.