A Guest Chef's "Cranberry Streusel Muffins"

The buffet table's spread and there's more food than a Baptist covered dish supper at Michelle's place (Meanderings). Check out this week's Carnival of the Recipes.Y'all come and get it while it's hot! And now, let the drooling begin: A great start on a morning... I had another good suggestion of what I ought to post this week, but then I recieved this in an email from an old friend (how old? Don't ask ;-) and just recieved permission to post it. I have to go pick up some cranberries—now! Kimberlee’s Cranberry Streusel Muffins Baking time: ~ 40 minutes Prep time: ~ 40 minutes Notes: If cooking giant muffins in ramekins, be sure to let them cool prior to turning out so they won’t fall apart. If using dried cranberries, soak them in lemon juice to plump them up. (Microwaving for ~ 30 seconds helps speed up the plumping process) Provides a good tart flavor. If you prefer, you can substitute raspberries… If you like hazelnuts, you can substitute them instead of pecans. Yield: 14 regular or 8 giant muffins Ingredients for muffins: 2 C all-purpose flour 1 C sugar 2 t baking powder ½ t baking soda ¼ t salt 1 large egg ½ C sour cream ½ C milk 1/3 C melted butter 1 ½ C cranberries Ingredients for streusel: 1/3 C pecans or hazelnuts ¼ C sugar 3 T all-purpose flour 2 T butter ¼ t ground nutmeg Preparation: 1. If using pecans, eliminate this step. If using hazelnuts, toast them: place them in an 8"-9" baking pan; bake at 350 degrees until golden beneath skins, ~15 minutes. Rub in a towel to remove loose skins. 2. Chop nuts. In a bowl, combine streusel ingredients and mix with fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Set streusel aside. 3. In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a third bowl, whisk the egg, milk sour cream and 1/3 C melted butter until smooth. Add flour mixture and stir until evenly moistened. 4. Fold in cranberries. If using raspberries, do this step gently… 5. Spoon batter into lined muffin pan or into 8 buttered ramekins (about 1 C size). Top evenly with streusel; press slightly into batter. Bake in 400 degree oven until deep golden, about 25 minutes. 6. Loosen muffins from containers (if using ramekins, let cool completely) and turn out onto a rack. Per regular muffin: 253 cal. (99 cal., 39% from fat); 3.6 g protein; 11 g fat (5.8 g sat.); 35 g carbs; 238 mg sodium; 29 mg cholesterol Kimberlee W.