When I was much younger, 6th or 7th grade, I spent the night at my friend Ginny McReynolds house. It was a warm night and as we got into her bed I pulled the light blankets up over me, and then did as I often did and maneuvered myself so my feet stuck out at the end.
“You can’t do that!!!”, she screamed. “You need to keep your feet inside the covers. If some bad guy comes in to get us, you are making it too easy for him. He can just grab your feet and pull you out. If you at least have your feet tucked in, it will be harder for him to get you.”
Terrified, I pulled my feet in under the covers. I don’t think I slept at all that night… worrying about the “bad guy” who was going to come and untangle me out of the covers.
Would you believe that this many years later, every night when I get into bed, I think of Ginny McReynolds. Every single night, I go to put my feet out of the covers and every single night, I slip them back in… not wanting to give the “bad guy” an easier way to “get me”. Yes, I am nearing 35 years old and am still fearful of this random “bad guy”. Ginny’s advice from that many years ago has stuck with me.
What, do you say, does this have to do with those yummy muffins photographed above? Well, I’ll tie that in loosely right here. When I was pregnant with my first child, I had horrid morning sickness. Morning, noon and night sickness is more like it. One day, a co-worker of mine brought in some chunky apple breakfast bars. They were kind of like muffin texture, but in bar form. They were delicious. I ate and ate and ate those chunky apple breakfast bars. Then, within minutes of devouring the delicious bars, my child decided that he wanted to have nothing to do with those bars and decided to send them right back up. Sparing the details, that was the only day that I ended up going home from work my entire pregnancy. I was sooooo sick. Since then, that memory of the apple bars and my unruly tummy has been stuck in my brain. I could eat apple pie still, but any kind of other apple cake type thing turned my stomach upside down.
I have since decided that this is nonsense. Why should the memory of that one situation keep me away from something I loved so much? In order to show myself who is boss, I decided to start off slowly with some Apple Pie muffins. I didn’t want to go straight into the apple bars.. that would have been too crazy, but muffins I can handle, and did handle! These muffins with the small diced up apples, the lovely crispy topping, and the cinnamon flavor are amazing. My gag reflex didn’t even ignite once. Now, doesn’t that make you want one of these? Seriously, they are yummy!
Glad I took the chance on these. Now… if I can only just do something about that “bad guy” grabbing my feet in the middle of the night.
Apple Pie Muffins (adapted from Recipezaar)
45 min | 20 min prep
SERVES 18
Topping
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Muffins
- 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinammon
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups diced peeled firm tart apples (such as Spy, Granny Smith)
- Topping: In a small bowl toss together sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon until crumbly; set aside.
- Muffins: In a large bowl whisk together brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Stir oil mixture into flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.
- Fold in apples, mixing just until combined.
- Spoon into greased muffin cups filling 3/4 full.
- Sprinkle topping over evenly.
- Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and tops spring back.
- Frosted Apple Cinnamon Bars, from Cate at Just Baking
- Apple Cider Doughnuts, from Laws of the Kitchen
- Caramelized Apple Ice Cream, from Thyme for Food
- Apple Pizza, from Cookies, Et Cetera
- Apple Pita Pie, from Noshtalgia
I’m glad that you’ve gotten over your apple disgust! These look great 🙂 I believe when I go to bed tonight, I’ll securely tuck in my feet & think of your blog!
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That is funny and those muffins look fabulous!
I have something that stuck with me since I was a kid. Someone told me that a spider could crawl into the bottom of a banana, so never eat the very end. I never do.
Now, how could a spider do that???? 🙂
Oooh, I have been wanting to try a streuseled apple cinnamon muffin recipe ever since I conquered my fear of streusel (with blueberry muffins). This looks perfect! And I have perfect apples to go with them (Early Golds).
Your first story cracked me up.
I totally associate food with my pregnancies. Right now an apple a day is keeping the morning (noon/night)sickness at bay (at least for an hour or two). I’ve never loved apples so much! I’ll have to try this recipe.
Those muffins look great! I can nearly smell them. 🙂
Too funny about the story your friend told sticking with you…maybe it’s time to double check that the doors & windows are locked, and stick your little toes out the end of the blanket. 😉
I’m so lucky, I never did get morning sickness, all three pregnancies. I’m not rubbing it in or anything. 😉 I love anything apple in muffin form so this sounds fabulous, I’m bookmarking it ASAP!
Oh the mighty pregnancy food aversion. This time around it’s been meat. I’ve been a vegetarian almost this entire pregnancy. With Caedon it was spicy food. I still can’t eat green chile. I guess at some point I’ll have to get over it. Especially if I plan on growing old with EMT-Dad. It’s almost a deal breaker in our house.
Those muffins look so good. I love muffins. Such a great time of year for this recipe too. Start of school just always reminds me of apples.
I also had so many irrational fears like that, hilarious.
Glad you gave the muffins a chance, that look so good.
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hahaha n you fell your friends story … ! Glad to know you are getting over your fears. The apple muffins look nice.
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Does this mean we’re going to the apple orchard this fall?
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My grandma considered that sleeping with your feet uncovered was bad luck and I can’t do that even today either (I’m 29), I so feel your pain, lol! I love the idea of the apple pie on-the-go muffins!
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Oh, that’s too funny! I’m glad you found some yummy apple something-or-other to swipe a bad memory with good.
~Cat
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It’s funny how certain memories will stick with you. Those muffins look delicious and I’m glad they agreed with you!
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Too funny! glad you found a great muffin to replace the memory! really great photos too!!
What a story! I used to dangle a foot over the edge of the bed, but pulled it in quickly, just in case the monsters got me! It does stick there at the back of the mind though!
I always have to have my entire body within the borders of the bed to be able to properly fall asleep – I’m glad to see I’m not the only one 🙂
Those muffins look delicious! I cannot wait to see how you make the bars, too!
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i can think of nothing worse than developing a distaste for apple treats. well, my hips, thighs, and booty might disagree with that statement, but my palate sure feels that way.
these sound perfect–welcome back to apple love! 🙂
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Funny how, no matter how grown up we are, we carry some of those deep-seated fears from childhood… Glad you’ve gotten over the apple muffin thing, though. Food memories run deep, too, and apples should always be a good memory!
And they don’t even make you gag — perfect! They sound great! 🙂 I mean you can’t go wrong with ingredients like apple, brown sugar and cinnamon. Unless you put something strange in…like tuna…ew. Sorry, didn’t mean to put that gag reflex back in gear!
I only feel safe under the covers at night. Even in the summer, I have to have at least a sheet. Everyone knows the monsters can’t get you through the sheet, but if you kick it off, it’s free banquet for the monsters!
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My husband sleeps with his feet sticking out. He can’t sleep if they are covered. I should warn him of the bad guy!!
Good for you for trying something that turned you off for so long! I used to be the same way with sweet potatoes, and then I tried them about a year ago and now I can’t get enough of them.
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My big revulsion? Pork fried rice. It was a good while before I was able to enjoy it again.
These muffins look delish! Adding it to the growing list of your recipes.
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I still practically sleep with all of me under the covers because of the “bad guys” Good to know I am not the only one…
he he, so funny. I really enjoyed reading your post. I had the same experience with bananas when I was pregnant with my first child. He is now 14 and I have just this past year decided to stop the nonsense and eat them again. Those muffins look yummy!
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The muffins look divine! I may be making these very soon!
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Good for you! No one should go without apple muffins!
For some reason (probably laziness) I never have a problem eating foods that I have had a bad experience with… probably why I so often eat things that give me allergic reactions (just in case they don’t this time) and end up huffing and puffing an inhaler.
And with your feet out of the covers at night, you’ll be much more capable of kicking the bad guy in his you-know-what’s when he sneaks up!
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lol about “the bad guy.” As for the initial apple bar experience, my wife has a similar “food memory”…I had to fight tooth and nail to get burgers back onto the OK list, lol. I’m glad you got past the apple aversion–these muffins look delicious! I’ll have to try this soon–I used to make far too many apple pies, so I know I’d love this.
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Ha–you are too funny! : )
Cute post and love the photo!
I like NEVER comment on peoples blogs….but these muffins were SOOOOOOOO good. Hands down, best muffins I have ever made. I filled the muffin cups pretty much all the way full and got 14 🙂 The top was so yummy and crunchy. Will be making these again especially after I go pick some apples in a couple weeks. Any idea if they freeze well?
I tried this recipe last night and the topping didn’t become a crumble. Is the butter really supposed to be melted?
Is it not recommended to cut this recipe in half? 18 is just too many for me. Lol I know how to measure half an egg, but will it all still bake okay?