An Apple...Muffin...for the Teacher

     This week is Teacher Appreciation Week at Kyleigh's school. Today we were asked to send in muffins for the teachers.

     Putting a little twist on 'an apple for the teacher', Kyleigh brought in Mini Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins. (Recipe is at the bottom of the post.)

     I found some cute little containers at Target that were on clearance for 50 cents each. These were perfect for the mini muffins! I bought some cellophane wrap to wrap up the gift, but I was worried about it being food-safe. So instead, I placed the container of muffins in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and cut off the ziplock part. Then gather the top of the bag and tie it off with some cute ribbon.

     But the gifts needed a tag with a cute saying. :) Fold a piece of red cardstock in half length-wise and then draw an apple with the fold as the top of the apple. Cut it out and then draw and cut out a stem and leaf from green cardstock. Glue it either on the back side of the apple card or inside the fold.

     The front of the card reads "You are the APPLE of our eye & we are NUTTY about you!".
    
     The inside reads "[Teacher's Name] Homemade Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins From, Kyleigh". Kyleigh wrote her teachers' names and her own on the cards.

     The back has a sticker that reads "In these muffins are: apples, walnuts, flour, oats, buttermilk, eggs, oil & cinnamon." just to be clear about the ingredients since these days there are so many food allergies.

     Punch a hole in one corner of the card and then tie it onto the gift with the ribbon. Voila! A cute, homemade gift for the teacher!

Mini Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins
adapted from a recipe found in The Good Housekeeping Cookbook

2 c. old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 c. low fat buttermilk
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. grated apples
1/2 c. chopped walnuts OR
   1/2 c. raisins

     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a mini muffin pan with baking cups and set aside.
     In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Set aside.
     In another large mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork. Add the oil, buttermilk, honey and vanilla extract. Mix with the fork until well combined. Stir in the grated apples.
     Add the buttermilk mixture to the bowl of the dry mixture and stir until all of the flour and oats have been combined.
     Stir in the walnuts (or raisins). Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 13 minutes. Remove the muffins immediately from the pan onto a cooling rack.
     Enjoy!