Recipe(tried): Granny Church's Apple Muffins

Hello Friends;
Again, I just thank you all for the nice responses you send to me. It just makes my day when I see a little tag of a note posted that has my name on it, it's jus like my name was up in lights at the Rockafeller Center in New York City!
I've once again had a big ole gang of family here, and sorry to be so long in writtin to ya'll. No sooner than I get one bunch out, then the next bunch comes in on me. Oh well, I just love 'em all, and I find myself just waitin for the fall and winter, where I can just close the doors and sit by the window and watch those fall leaves blow on by, and then fall kinda simmers on into the winter months. I juz love to see the snow fall, those little delicate flakes just fly right through the air like fairies or somethin.
Now, I have this recipe for the Apple Muffins to share with ya'll, and a bit of a story to go with it. I was a youngun when it all happend, but, my, it was quite a stir on Chestnut Mountain and the relations heard of it for counties away! Let me give you the recipe first, then ya'll can read the rest of it all.

Granny Church's Apple Muffins

1 Cup Flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspooon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup Quaker Oats
1 cup pared and chopped apples
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon

TOPPING:
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add remaining ingredients except topping; mix only until ingredients are moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Prepare topping and sprinkle on muffins before baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes right 'round 12 muffins.

Umm, these things are wonderful! I've eaten my weight in them more times than I can remember. But, now for the story of how I discovered this little delight.... It all happened about 1955! Now, in Brooks, West Virginia there were many big families, and all the big families had one very important asset, it was called "Momma", and momma's pretty much ran things. My Granny Church was probably the "Queen" Momma of Chestnut Mountain! They all had tiffs and tuffs between each other, just like all normal folks do, but one thing had been introduced to them that just bonded them together from the quick! It was this little old plant called an "African Violet"! Tourmaline bought one to Granny about five years earlier, and they learned they could make more of 'em by rootin the leaves, and before you know it the entire mountain was growing African Violets! Then, somebody in the clan got hold of one with pink flowers, and that became total competition! On and on and on it all went and before we knew it, every window sill, corner of light, or hallway with a window was jus coveted by those darn furry leaved violets! Pop Church thought that since they were violets, he could grow 'em in the garden, but tried as he did, his success was short lived, and the first cold night was pretty much the end of it for him. Now Granny Church got hold of some book that told how to grow these things, and she then went on to make what was called in the hills as a "Social Group". I can recall her tellin Pop Church, "Why Pop, them things are from Africa, cant grow 'em outside here in West Virginia", Pop kind of muddled around and said that he thought Africa was something to do with knitted blankets (Aphgan), and lord knows, hope he didn't step back in the kitchen to see what was cooking!!!
Anyway, on with Grannys "Social Gathering". She set up a kind of club where all the mountain women would come together and bring the very best plants they had for a competition. I dont quite recall why I was at the house for that first meeting, but all the ladies came in dressed to the 10's as the 1950's would permit. I was a toe headed kid, and had a cowlick on my crown, and all them fat ladies just came in with their plants, and just loved to run their hand across my head and say "David, darlin, you jus look wonderful honey, now hows your momma?" On and on it went, got those big ole kisses that left traces of tangine on my cheeks! How embarrasin, I thought!
Now Granny had put a bed sheet on a big table in the dinning area and all those plants were set on that table, and then they all went into the living area to talk. African Violets was all they yaked about, do this to the soil, do that to the pot, do this with the manure, add this kinda bone meal.... I was just sittin in the corner waitin for the party to end and the muffins to be served! And, indeed, served they were!
When the time came to look at all those African Violets my Granny passed out her wonderful Apple Muffins. Loretta Cales just walked around the table with her muffin and hemmed and hawed, then Corrie Leadbetter came in and said "These plants just aint arranged right", she had twelve children and probably the poorest of the bunch, but she sure did try... Next think I know, Belva Mullins said that the table was jus fine, and then Ella Mae marched in with a muffin half way in her mouth and said that those were the sorriest African Violets she ever did lay eyes on. DEAD SILENCE...I just wanted a muffin.
But, I knew that pandamonium was close at hand!!! You know, children feel these things comeing on, and I certainly did on that day!
Next thing we all new, Loretta moved a couple of the plants, and in the moveing she broke off one of the violets leaves, and the plant belonged to Granny Church. Now, Granny's nostriles flared up real big like, and you could see the look in her eyes, it was a look I always avoided at all cost!!!
Next thing I knew, a muffin flew over the table and hit me right in the head. I never heard so much squabbling in my life between a bunch of women, and it turned into a downright donnybrook! I just kinda watched it from a distance and I did enjoy that muffin that came my way, and before the whole hoot of it all was over, I enjoyed a few more, they waz all in such a fuss!
I dont know what all happened after that incident, I kinda fell asleep and before I knew it I was being tucked inta bed by Granny Church, along with all those wonderful kisses and hugs. I remember asking Granny if that had been the "End Of The World", we youngguns were always so afraid of that incident! She just laughed and said that it was just a bit of a misunderstanding. She then gave me another kiss and said that everythin was alright in the world, and that she had an even better African Violet to show the next time 'round. Indeed, I am sure she did.

I give peace to you all this night, and only if the whole world could go to sleep tonight with a blanket of stars and a peaceful tomorrow. Just pray, and we all know we have the power to make it happen!

Thank you friends,
David In Virginia
DvdnVa40@aol.com