Muffin Monday

Somewhere online, I saw muffins called Cinnamon Toast Muffins and I thought, to myself, how delicious they must be.  Tonight, I opened  the Southern Cooking Bible by Paula Deen and looked up muffins, in the index, to find one muffin and this is it.  Honestly, I thought a book with this title would have corn muffins.


Paula does quite a bit differently than I usually do when I bake muffins and some of that, I did not change.  What I did change, was the amounts of fat and sugar, in the recipe.  


I, along with many of you, have been reading about Paula and her diabetes.  She is being called a hypocrite and worse.  Many of us like Paula and her recipes and many of us, automatically change almost any of her recipes.  Being the queen of butta is not something to be proud of, in my opinion.  With so much stress, these days on healthy eating, is a chef responsible for what she promotes.


Ellie Krieger is one of my favorites and when I cook from her books, I feel a sense of relief.  Strangely enough, both hubby and I enjoy her recipes better than many others.  It is a bonus to know, we are not overdosing on fat and sugar.


I am not boycotting Paula,  as you can see.  I am sure, most of her food, tastes better than any healthy food.  All that butter does add to a cake.  I will continue to use her ideas and modify them to be healthy and I thank Paula for some good cooking.


As far as how she is handling this, I don't respect her choice, when she could be a real representative to help others cook for health.  She could lose weight and write a book and give lectures on healthy eating.  I would respect that.


I don't care that she hid her diabetes.  I am sure, she had to acclimate to the changes that did come along with the diagnosis.  Back to the muffins.  I am sharing the original recipe with my modifications.

Cinnamon Toast Muffins: adapted from Paula Deen

Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free)
21/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup Rice Dream
2 tablespoons buttermilk (from Rice Dream and vinegar)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons 3/4 cup canola oil,  1/4 stick margarine at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 egg beaters

Coating

1 cup sugar (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (I kept the cinnamon at a tablespoon)
8 to 12 tablespoons (1 to 11/2 sticks) butter, ( Spray canola oil)

Method:

1. To make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter, oil, or cooking spray and dust with flour.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and buttermilk.

3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg is added to thoroughly combine.

5. With the mixer at low speed, beat one-fourth of the flour mixture into the butter mixture.

6. Beat in one-third of the milk mixture. Add the rest of the two mixtures, alternating the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry ingredients. Take care not to overmix. You just want the ingredients to come together.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the cups just to the rim with batter.

8. Bake until lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them and transfer to a wire rack set on a baking sheet.

To prepare the coating: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Brush each muffin top generously with the melted butter. Spray the top of each muffin with canola oil and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
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