Applesauce and Oatmeal Muffins

I bought some apples in a bag recently that I was thinking at some point of making into apple muffins. Unfortunately, once I got the bag open, almost all the apples had TONS of bruises. Lauren told me they were "mushy."  Hmm,  that only means one thing, I'll "experiment" using applesauce instead and see how that works. Well, my first attempt at making these didn't turn out too well.  The consistency was kind of  like a hockey puck :( Too bad Dominic doesn't play ice hockey - he would have had some good practice pucks! Anyways, my second attempt was definitely more successful!  Around the same time I was baking these this past Wednesday, I tossed out some pieces of stale bread into the backyard.  This deer came close to the kitchen window and was looking at me.  I think he or she would have preferred one of my muffins instead :)  If you look closely, to the left of the deer you can still see a scrap of bread sitting on the ground!!

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup sweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup old fashioned oats

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and fill a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.  Set aside.  In large bowl, put all ingredients in the order given except the oats.  Combine well with large spoon and then gently "fold" in the oats.  Distribute evenly between the paper liners and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.  Remove from oven.  Let cool five minutes and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.  Makes 12 muffins.