Recipe: Apricot Pecan Muffins (using nutmeg and brown sugar)

APRICOT PECAN MUFFINS

"Like raisins, dates, and other dried fruits, apricots pack tons of concentrated flavor and sweetness into muffins. If apricots aren't a favorite, swap them, in this recipe, with equally delightful dried peaches or cherries."

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Stir in the apricots and pecans.

In a large bowl, stir together the buttermilk, oil, egg, and brown sugar until well-blended. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin pans, filling about two-thirds full.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove to the rack to cool completely.

Adapted from source: Cookies, Brownies, Muffins and More (Rodale Classics Cookbooks) by Anne Egan