Muffins!

Courtesy of the most recent Taste of Home magazine, these two recipes are very tasty and kid-approved!

Gingerbread Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cloves. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, oil and molasses until smooth; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Makes approximately 1 dozen muffins. Serve warm with lemon curd.

Lemon Curd:
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup lemon juice
5 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir a small amount into the egg yolks to raise the yolks' temperature. Return all into the pan; bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until mixture reaches 160 degrees and coats the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from heat; gently stir in butter and lemon peel until blended. Pour into a bowl; cover surface with plastic wrap (press down onto the curd). Cover and refrigerate until serving. Makes approxminately 1 cup.


Lemon Pound Cake Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and the extracts; beat well. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over muffins. Serve warm. Makes approximately 1 dozen.

Personal note: I have transcribed the ingredients for this recipe as it was published, but I made only half the glaze and that was more than plenty to drizzle on a dozen muffins. Use 1 cup confectioners' sugar, and 1-1/2 tablespoons (4-1/2 teaspoons) of lemon juice.