Mornin' Glory Muffins

I've always loved the name of these hardy little breakfast muffins.   Though the recipe belonged to my Aunt, they invoked memories of my dear little grandmother, who would greet me each morning with a cheery, "Mornin' glory," as I'd enter her breakfast room.


I'd thought the recipe lost, until I found it tucked inside an old recipe box my cousin had stashed away for safe keeping.  This particular version is lower in sugar than most you'll find for similar muffins.  If they were any sweeter, they'd have to be called cupcakes.  


My Aunt justified serving them for breakfast, by reasoning that they were chock full things that were good for you - apple, raisins, and carrots.  The coconut and pecans add both taste and texture.


I loved staying at my Aunt's home, which oozed hospitality.  Each morning her guests would rise to a selection of homemade muffins she'd bake in advance, and slip into the freezer.  It was always hard to choose, but in the end, we always had a glorious morning!


2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrots (can substitute a cup of zucchini for one of the cups of carrot)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded, sweetened, coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

Into a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients.  Stir in the grated carrots, raisins, chopped pecans, coconut, and apple.  Set aside.

In small bowl, beat eggs with vegetable oil and vanilla.  Stir egg mixture into the fruit and flour mixture, just until combined (don't over-mix).

Spoon batter into lined, or well greased muffin pans, filling them to the top (for a real meal, bake them in the larger, bistro-size muffin pans).  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 - 35 minutes, depending upon size.  Watch them, as they tend to burn easily.  When fully cooked, they should be springy to the touch.

Serve warm, or freeze and reheat in a toaster oven.  To add a bit more sunshine, split the warm muffins, and add a dollop of peach or apricot jam to each half =)

I couldn't resist pairing the image of the sunflowers, taken on the sidewalk in Pittsburgh's Strip District, with this happy recipe.