Blueberry Cinnamon Swirl Muffins

Muffins_ART_FINAL_WEB

When BDN reporter Julia Bayly visited our Bangor office earlier this summer, she brought me a special surprise: a dozen eggs from her hens at Rusty Metal Farm.

I was so excited.

Julia and I have talked eggs (and, well, food in general) for months — discussing recipes and ways to enjoy them. Eggs seem to taste better — to me anyway — when they come from the hens of someone you know.

And reading about the gals from Rusty Metal Farm in Julia’s weekly column (Have you read it? It runs every other Friday in the BDN) made me feel like I knew their quirky bird personalities a bit too. Just a bit.

So, I couldn’t wait to try the eggs with rice, sauteed veggies and hot sauce — one of my favorite dishes for when I am eating dinner alone. And that’s what I did almost immediately.

Oh, those rich yolks.

But what Julia probably didn’t know was that the egg gift meant even more to me because it reminded me of my family.

Back in Connecticut, my cousin Sue, her husband Jim and their two boys run an organic farm. When we lived down there, the eggs my family ate almost exclusively came from their hens. Sometimes, my kids even helped gather them.

That always felt special: Knowing the hens, the people who cared for them and getting a peek into what it takes to raise hens for eggs.

Julia’s eggs were a sort of connection, a bridge even, that linked my life back in Connecticut and my life here. Food can do that, whether it’s through the shared experience of eating or by the physical sharing of the things that nourish us.

Blueberry Cinnamon Swirl Muffins

These muffins? They are great for sharing too.

This recipe produces tender, airy muffins that are dotted with the blueberries that are ripe and delightful here in Maine right now. I love using tart berries in this recipe as a contrast to the sweet cinnamon layer, but any blueberries will do.

Blueberry Cinnamon Swirl Muffins inside view

And about that cinnamon layer (and topping!): it’s reminiscent of a cinnamon roll — a nod to another favorite morning treat, without so much work.

Make these to enjoy with your loved ones with morning coffee while you read the paper on Saturday. Or whip up a batch for that morning meeting. Or to treat the kids before you send them off to school in a few weeks.

Blueberry Cinnamon Swirl Muffins recipe

Just make them, and then share. Sharing is good.

Also, a few weeks ago I wrote about “Honey, I’m Homestead! Blueberry Bitter Beer,” a brew that Central Street Farmhouse here in Bangor developed in partnership with the BDN. Well, guess what? It’s ready to taste!

Join us on Thursday, August 20, at Central Street Farmhouse for a tasting of the brew from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., or while supplies last. Can’t wait to see you there!

Blueberry Cinnamon Swirl Muffins
Author: 
Serves: yields 12 muffins
 
Ingredients
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup blueberries, rinsed
Cinnamon layer:
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups in a muffin pan with liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until well combined. Drizzle in the cooled butter a little at a time, whisking constantly, until combined. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl. Stir well until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the blueberries.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon layer ingredients.
  4. Add the batter to the muffin cups, filling them about ⅓ full. Divide half of the cinnamon mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Top with the remaining batter, dividing it evenly among the muffin cups, and then the remaining half of the cinnamon mixture.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out cleanly.
  6. Loosen the muffins from the pan with a knife. Enjoy, warm from the oven or cooled.

 

Sarah Walker Caron

About Sarah Walker Caron

Sarah Walker Caron is editor of Bangor Metro magazine and senior features editor for the Bangor Daily News. She is the author of "The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook," (Sept. 2018, Rockridge Press) and the co-author of "Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains" (March 2015, DK). Her recipes have appeared in the BDN, Betty Crocker publications, Glamour.com and more. She also writes about food at www.sarahscucinabella.com.