This week...

My stomache feels squeezy.

Does that ever happen to you?  It doesn't really hurt, and I'm not really nauseous...just somewhere in the middle.  I've already had a cup of coffee, a muffin, and right now I'm waiting on my Earl Grey to steep. 

They are building two new houses catty-cornered on both sides of the back of my house.  Note to self: never move into a neighborhood with empty lots near your house.  The construction work is loud, but the workers are louder.  They play music that wasn't good when it was new, they talk really loud, and I'm pretty sure their cigarette smoke gets into my house.  The worst of it is that they're out there every single day.  I couldn't even take my Sunday nap yesterday.  Maybe that's why I'm in a funk today. 

I also have to buy a new car this week.  We know that the Lord has the right vehicle at the right price, but I am still anxious.  Maybe I'll just a get a bicycle.  Oh wait, I can't do that because we live in the middle of nowhere and I'd never make it to the city on a Huffy.  Huffy...isn't that a kind of bicycle?  Who knows.

I get to do my favorite thing this week...plan an event.  We're having a little fall party for the college students Sunday night.  I just love planning parties and menus.  It will be super fun!

Also, Justin and I will be carving pumpkins on Friday night.  We may have a contest.

After all this useless dribble, I'm sure you're wondering where the recipe is.  Well, I've got one for a really great muffin that could almost double as a cupcake.  It's a great way to use up some apples that might be on their way out.  Or, if you're like me, you picked too many at the orchard and you've got to find some way to use them.

Apple Cider Muffins
adapted from The Craft of Baking
Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil [next time I'm going to skip this and add buttermilk]
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tsp vanilla
2 crisp apples, peeled and diced, then drained of their liquid. 
1 cup cider [use the liquid drained from the apples as part of this measurement]
brown sugar for sprinkling on top before baking

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Generously oil a muffin tin or line with papers.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and oil.  Then add the eggs and whisk to combine.
In another bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 
Use a liquid measuring cup to measure the cider.  In this cup, whisk in the yogurt and vanilla.
Alternate adding in the flour and cider mixtures into the sugar and oil.  Stir just until combined, and fold in the apples.
Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way, then top with a little brown sugar.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

These muffins are really, really moist.  I'm thinking that I could leave out the oil/buttermilk altogether because the yogurt makes them so moist.  Unlike many other fruit muffins, these have kept perfectly fresh on the counter for about 4 days now.  They could even be topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting and go as a cupcake!