Oatmeal Muffins

These muffins are moist and tender, and are actually better the second day. Since some of my children don't care for dried fruit, I'll sometimes scoop a few plain muffins before adding the bits. The mixer is required, vs. my usual dump-and-stir muffins, so they're a less frequent treat. The recipe is (lightly) adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Book.

1 cup buttermilk (maybe a little more)
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour (I use King Arthur's white whole wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt, optional
3 Tbsp wheat germ
1/2 cup chopped dried fruit
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp honey
1 egg

• Combine buttermilk and oatmeal and let stand until liquid is absorbed, at least half an hour. I usually keep it in the fridge overnight or microwave it for a minute or two to get a head start.
• Mix dry ingredients in another bowl. Add dried fruit, making sure it's not stuck together.
• Beat the butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light. Beat in the honey and the egg.
• In alternating batches, add the flour mixture and the oat mixture to the butter mixture, stirring to moisten the dry ingredients after each addition. (I use the mixer on low.)
• Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups (#16 scoop). Bake at 400* for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake.

Notes:

• The recipe calls for raisins, which are my last choice. I prefer dried apricots, dates, peaches, cherries, craisins, etc. Mix and match to your taste. I prefer pieces that are smaller than raisins.

• Don't be surprised--the batter is quite stiff. Sometimes I add more buttermilk, especially if I microwaved the oatmeal too long. It works best to add extra buttermilk to the oat mixture, but you won't know what it should look like until you've made your first batch. Don't worry--they're yummy!