morning glory

For a friend, in good times or bad, a batch of homemade muffins for the morning and then the freezer, is an easy kind of thing to bring. Cookies, yes, always welcome, these however can serve as breakfast in a pinch with a cup of coffee or tea.

Subscribed to Gourmet magazine ever since I was a kid, and have missed that monthly issue for years now. The Gourmet Cookbook, by Ruth Reichl, that big fat yellow one, has plenty of excellent recipes, and serves as a go-to.

One in particular that I can count on for giving is from the Morning Glory Café, on Nantucket. Recipe says it yields 30, I like to heavily butter the muffin tins and get only 24. Always love a good muffin top. haha. If you have the book it’s on page 642 and a little on 643. Here it is if you don’t, these little carrot cakes with apples, coconut, and pecans can help comfort and soothe, good times or bad.

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 30, or 24 🙂 muffin cups.

4 cups all purpose flour, I use King Arthur. 2 1/4 cups sugar, 4 teaspoons baking soda, 4 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons salt. Whisk together in a large bowl.

Stir in: 12 carrots, coarsely grated in food processor of with box grater, I never peel them, just grate. 1 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely grated with box grater.

Whisk together: 6 eggs, 2 cups vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract in another bowl, then add to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling them to the top. I take a butter knife and smooth them off flat. Bake muffins, in batches if necessary, until springy to the touch, about 30 minutes per batch. Cool in pans for 5 or 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Morning glory, good or bad, getting through the day. Every day dress.