Orange Cranberry Muffins

With Jon heading to work earlier, he finds that there is just not enough time for cereal, and has given me the task to make sure he has easy to grab and go food for breakfast. I love it because I now don't have to wait for an excuse to make all these yummy breakfast treats anymore! Last week, I tried my hand at this orange-cranberry muffin. To my delight, Jon said they were AWESOME!!!!!! (and I must admit, I agreed wholeheartedly!).

These were super easy to make, which I loved. The recipe calls for the cranberries to be boiled in OJ for a bit, I just poured OJ into the pot and it was way more than 1/4 cup. Probably closer to a cup. But they plumped up beautifully and there was no risk of burning and running out of juice. I also was able to do that while I was cleaning the kitchen, and then could go back to it after the cranberries had cooled off a bit.

I use the Wilton sugar sprinkles to give my muffins a slight "glow" before they go in the oven, resulting in an appetizing gleam that just adds an extra touch. . . that melts in your mouth. So delicious.
Here's the recipe:

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for preparing themuffin tin
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus up to 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins, if desired
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the cranberries and orange juice in a small saucepan, and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove berries from the heat, and set aside to cool and plump. Drain off any excess liquid and set aside.

Lightly brush a 12-muffin tin with butter. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, orange zest, and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

Fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Do not over mix. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack. Serve warm.

(I found this at foodnetwork.com