Sweet Peach Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel Topping

Our Aunt Nancy gave me a copy of The Foster's Market Cookbook last Christmas. Signed and inscribed to me by the author, it is truly one of my favorite cookboooks. It reminds me that I desperately need to invest in a cookbook holder, as I just dropped about half a stick of butter on the pages of such a special prize. Yes, I cussed. Loudly. At least I'll know which recipes I've tried by the flotsam on the pages.

At any rate, these are divine. As I cannot follow a recipe to save my life, the walnuts were replaced with pecans. And I put a little extra butter in the streusel. AND I doubled the dark rum. I'd take Sara's advice: these muffins are best when served warm.

Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (OR PECANS!)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• Combine the walnuts (OR PECANS!), flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl and stir to mix.
• Add the butter and mix well until blended.
• Set aside or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

Muffin Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teapsoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 Tablespoon dark rum (divine!) or pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups peeled, pitted, chopped peaches

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Line 12 large muffin cups with paper liners and spray the top part of the pan lightly with vegetable oil spray.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs, butter, sour cream, and rum in a separate bowl until well blended. Fold in the peaches.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just unil moist and blended. Do not overmix.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan with a large ice cream scoop (1/3 cup scoop). The batter will come to the top of the paper liner or pan. Sprinkle with Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping and lightly press the topping into the muffin batter.
• Bake 30-35 minutes, until the tops of the muffins spring bakc when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan and serve immediately.

Variations: almost any fresh or frozen fruit (except for very soft fruits like bananas, papaya, or mango) can be substituted for the peaches. Try blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries. In autumn, try chopped fresh apples or chopped pears.