Recipe #21: Carrot-and-Pineapple Muffins

These muffins were made with whole wheat flour, which made them a little flatter than muffins made with unbleached flour. They were pretty tasty, though, and sweet. The carrots and pineapple were chunky rather than pureed, which gave the muffins some nice texture. The only objection I had to the recipe was the addition of flavoring. It asked for either coconut or almond flavoring. I chose almond, but at 1/2 teaspoon, the amount of flavoring was too much and overpowered the muffin's subtler carrot-pineapple flavor. If I made these again, I would leave out the flavor.

My tasters said they liked them, one saying they were "delicious."

I rated these muffins 4 out of 5, mostly for the flavoring problem.

Recipe #20: Cajun Corn Muffins

Cajun Corn Muffins

These muffins were quite spicy, but otherwise good tasting. They contained green and red bell peppers and onions, which gave them a nice texture and flavor. The heat came mainly from the cayenne pepper that was added. They went nicely with chili, I thought, making a milder chili a bit hotter.

The only objection I had to this recipe was that, once again, there was no liquid included, so I had to add some milk when I saw that the batter was going to be too dry. They turned out okay with the addition, though.

My tasters enjoyed these muffins for the most part. They acknowledged they were hot, but they still liked them. I think they were good, but if I make them again, I'll add less cayenne pepper.

I rated these muffins 4 out of 5 for being good but a little too hot and for the recipe's error.

Recipe #19: Butternut Squash Muffins

Butternut Squash Muffins

These muffins were kind of plain and not sweet, which makes me believe they were meant to be enjoyed with a main dish. But they had a nice mild squash flavor and a good texture. The recipe predicted 15-16 muffins, but I could see (once again) that the 2 cups of flour would make the usual dozen muffins. And of course it did.

One thing I did especially liked about these muffins is their pretty pale yellow color.

They were tasty and the recipe was easy to prepare. My in-laws also enjoyed them, and agreed they were for the main meal rather than dessert. 

I rate these 5 out of 5.

Next is Cajun Corn Muffins, another savory selection.

Recipe #18: Brown Sugar Muffins

These muffins were quite tasty and sweet, though the recipe was really pretty plain. They had lots of brown sugar, as you might guess, and that imparted a nice, almost caramel-like flavor. And for the first time in several weeks, the recipe called for vanilla extract.

This was a successful recipe. I would definitely make these again and my tasters agreed!

I rate these 5 out of 5.

Recipe #17: Bran Muffins with Raisins

Bran Muffins with Raisins

These muffins had an unusual texture for a bran muffin. This was due to their having only All-Bran™ as their bran flour. The rest of the flour was all-purpose (i.e. white). Bran muffins are normally darker colored, usually from dark flour or molasses.

Nonetheless, these were quite good tasting, somewhat sweet and more cake-like than some of the earlier muffins (especially the blueberry-yogurt muffins). My tasters enjoyed them as much as I did.

I rate these muffins 5 out of 5. The recipe makes some interesting, tasty muffins!

Recipe #16: Blueberry-Yogurt Muffins

Blueberry-Yogurt Muffins

These muffins seem designed to be "healthy"--the recipe called for oat bran, skim milk, egg whites, honey and plain yogurt in addition to blueberries and other more conventional ingredients. The recipe warned that they would not rise very high, and that is what happened, as you can see from the photo.

I found them to be a little too plain for my taste, more like bread, although my tasters said they liked them.

I would recommend these for anyone who likes a healthier muffin. I rate them 4 out of 5 because they weren't sweet enough for me.

Recipe #15: Blueberry-Buttermilk Muffins

Blueberry-Buttermilk Muffins

These muffins were quite tasty and a hit with my tasters. I used frozen blueberries since I couldn't find fresh ones for a good price. I was afraid they would be mushy, but I did as recommended on the blueberry package and incorporated them frozen, which worked to keep their shape.

The only problem I saw was with the recipe. Once again, the predicted number of muffins was way off. The recipe said 5 or 6 muffins, but I knew that would be wrong because the amount of flour was 2.5 cups.

I would recommend these muffins!

I rate them 5 out of 5.