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e warmth of tradition.
er and Maxwell House

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Magnificent Muffins

GLORIA KAUFER GREENE

Special to The Jewish News

It's a special time of the week when families
gather, traditions are renewed and there's
plenty of time to relax and enjoy the rich,
delicious taste of Maxwell House® Coffee.

GENERAL
FOODS

0, CERTIFIED KOSHER.

,c

1988 General Foods Corporation

Maxwell House® Coffee. Always ...Good to the Last Drop'.

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BAGEL DELI & PRODUCE CO.

6088 W. MAPLE AT FARMINGTON RD. • W. Bloomfield • 851-9666

SUNDAY 8 TO 3

OPEN MON. THRU SAT. 9 TO 6

THE PLACE FOR SMOKED FISH
THE FINEST SMOKED FISH & DELI TRAYS
HANDOUT NOVA LOX

Detroit Gallery of Contemporary Crafts

Fisher Bldg

Wearables and jewelry by
nationally known artists/designers

Featuring the new Fall Collection
of pleated dresses by
Ellen Hauptli

Detroit, Ml

48202
Mon-Sat
11-5

813 7888

Visit the Garden Cafe, serving from 11 to 3.

82

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1988

''Where You Come First

Kos ns

i

Uptown
Southfield Rd. at
11 1/2 Mile • 559-3900

Big & Tall
Southfield at

101/2 Mile • 569-6930

midst the fast food
frenzy of the '80s,
muffins are one of
those wonderful comfort foods
that can still be accom-
modated in the home kitchen.
While strict time restraints
have put fancy casseroles,
elaborate pastries, and yeast-
raised breads beyond the
reach of many modern-day
cooks, muffins take only a few
minutes to mix up and bake.
In addition, these miniature
"quick breads" are eminent-
ly portable—the ideal snack
to take to school or office.
Homemade muffins can be
a much healthier alternative
to bakery-produced versions.
Whereas most commercial
muffin producers are con-
cerned only about looks and
taste, and have little regard
for fat, cholesterol and sugar,
the home cook can purpose-
fully limit these potentially
harmful ingredients and still
produce very tasty muffins.
At the same time, muffins
are a perfect place to palat-
ably package fiber. Remem-
ber, muffins were one of the
first foods to give "bran" a
good name! With the addition
of some fruit, whole grains,
and perhaps a few seeds or
nuts, you've really got a
nutrient-packed treat.
Muffins are also one of
those foods that crosses the
"age barrier." They have a
special appeal that makes
them irresistible to young
and old alike. And muffin
recipes are often easy enough
for children to make. In fact,
the following recipes would be
perfect for a stay-at-home pro-
ject this Tuesday when many
kids will be out of school due
to Election Day. And some of
the results can be saved for a
"Watch-the-Returns" party at
night.
But, before you get started,
keep the following tips in
mind so that your muffins
will truly be magnificent.
• The "muffin method" of
combining ingredients, ac-

cording to books on food
science, basically calls for the
addition of the combined dry
ingredients to a mixture of
the eggs, liquids, and liquid
fat (i.e. oil or melted butter).
The ingredients are then
stirred just enough to com-
bine them and moisten the
dry ingredients. If the batter
is mixed too much, the "glu-
ten" in the flour may develop,
producing tough muffins with
large air holes, instead of
light and tender muffins.
• Because the only leaven-
ing in muffin batter is baking
powder and/or baking soda,
most muffins will rise the
highest if they are baked im-
mediately after the batter is
mixed.
• Muffins can often be
removed from the pan more
easily if they are allowed to
stand for a minute or two
after they come from the
oven; however, they will be
harder to remove if left much
longer. To facilitate the
removal of any stubborn muf-
fins, sharply tap each side of
the muffin pan against the
counter.
• Muffins should be cooled
on wire racks after they have
been removed from the pans,
so the bottoms do not get
soggy. Once they are cool,
most muffins freeze very well
in plastic bags. They can be
removed as needed, and
quickly thawed at room tem-
perature or in a microwave
oven.
Here are some interesting
muffin recipes to try at home.
All are low in fat and sugar,
and high in fiber and nutri-
ents.

ORANGE-DATE
MUFFINS
These muffins are adapted
from a recipe by my friend
and fellow food-writer, Nancy
Baggett, and are among my
all-time favorites. Everyone
loves the flavor, but no one
can guess that some of it
comes from a carrot.
1 cup enriched all-
purpose or
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