Apple-Almond Muffins, Gigantor-Style in an RV

 We've started a new routine these last few days here in the ol' RV. We've started taking Puppa and Sasha to the off-leash dog park between 8-9 every morning so they can run for half an hour. I see great results with this new routine....scroll down and you'll see what I mean!

 See? Nice, tired and happy hounds! But...it does cut into my morning and I get hungry and I cannot stop for a fast food breakfast burrito every morning, nor do I plan on cooking bacon and eggs at 5 am every morning, either, although...I think Bob would totally dig the latter of the two!! I thought about making muffins and freezing them. I still have a bunch of those Hood River apples left from the 10 pound bag that I bought just before Christmas. I do not want even one of these apple-y treasures to go to waste, so I started brainstorming.

 Creating a new recipe is not as hard as a person would think it is. My biggest problem is that I create...but I don't write down. That is one of my goals for 2013...write that stuff down!!! Basically, you need some basic measurements of flour and sugar and you go from there. I bought a jumbo muffin pan this morning. I cannot fathom how people eat one of those tiny little things...in those pathetic pink, blue, green and yellow little liners. I hate those things!! Bob found my container of them and I think they had an inch of dust on them...I threw them in the trash and made a trip to Cash & Carry, our local restaurant supply store for some BIG liners. I got 500 for under $5. I'm set for a while in the muffin experimentation department.The reason I opted for the 6-holer (is it me...or does this sound like an old time ad for an outhouse builder???)  jumbo pan variety is that I bake my stuff in an Easy-Bake Oven on Steroids. This sucker's small!! I cannot fit a 9 x 13 pan in it and a standard 12-holer muffin pan...it ain't happening!! So, the jumbo 6-holer pan it was.

 Now...one of these sized muffins you can safely call breakfast!!

 This is after I added a streusel topping.

 They are ready to go into the EBOoS (Easy-Bake Oven on Steroids).

 This is the BEST kitchen timer that I've ever have!! I tried those fancy digital things and, in my opinion, they are junk. I have dropped this sucker, I've dunked it the sink...I've done most everything to it but run over it with the car and it still works and, the best part, was that it was under $5.

Now THESE are muffins!!

Apple-Almond Muffins, Gigantor-Style
(makes 6 huge freaking muffins)

1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1-3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons apple pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large apples, peeled, cored and grated
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cold butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a jumbo muffin pan with jumbo liners or spray with non-stick spray...or be on the safe side, like I did, and do both.
2. Combine all the streusel topping ingredients together in a small bowl and cut together until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter with sugars, add vanilla, eggs and buttermilk and beat until smooth. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer. If you don't have a hand mixer...get one!
4. In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including the spices together. Add dry to wet and mix until just combined...don't over mix.
5. Fold in grated apples and chopped almonds.
6. Spoon batter into lined or sprayed muffin cups (or both, like I did)...divide among six. It will fill them up...and that's ok...you want that!
7. Top each muffin with steusel topping...pile it on if you have to...don't skimp on it.
8. Bake these suckers at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into each one pulls out clean.
9. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. EAT THEM!! FREEZE THEM!!

Anyhow...I hope you enjoy...PEACE!