Apple and Oatmeal Muffins Pic credit - Priya Q

Tried this out yesterday after watching it made on one of the cookery show on TV albeit I made few changes of my own…. in the original recipe salt was added; however I though it wasn’t required since I was using salted butter. Also I added vanilla coz me thinks where there is egg add few drops of vanilla. I intentionally left out cinnamon powder since my husband kinda doesnt like it…hmmm whatelse did I change! Oh yeh I added ingredients going by my instinct not quite following the order that was suggested…. but the result was still good

All purpose flour (maida) – 160 gms
Butter  -125 gm
Sugar – 150 gms
Apples – 100 gms (peeled and diced)
Oatmeal – 40 gms
Eggs – 2 nos
Vanilla essence – 2-3 drops
Baking powder – 2 tsp

1. Dry toast on a pan oatmeal and keep aside
2. Sauté chopped apples in butter and keep it aside
3. Cream the butter and sugar using an electric beater
4. Add eggs and beat it again
5. Fold in the flour, baking powder, toasted oatmeal and blend
6. In the end add the apples and gently fold using a spatula
7. Line the muffin tray with muffin paper
8. Fill in muffin moulds with the batter
9. Bake at 170 C for about 30-35 minutes

*add cinnamon powder for enhanced flavor
* after baking I put my oven on broiler mode for about 10 minutes which gave me a nice crunchy crust

Well, one thing both me and Q did all through our travel in Europe was to try out the local cuisine. Afterall food constitutes a major part to your whole travel experience. Derek a friend of our’s whom we met in Kerala made Scottish porridge for us when we visited him in Edinburgh – Scotland. It tastes different from the oatmeal porridge I am used to making. And I am definitely going to make this back home and why not??..variety only makes life interesting!

Oats – 5 tbsp

Water – 1 cup

Milk

Honey / sugar – optional

Mixed dry fruits – 1 tbsp

Fresh fruit – banana / blueberries etc

1. In a pan boil water and oats with salt together with occasionally adding few tsps of milk till whole thing turns to a lumpy mass.
2. Serve in a bowl.
3. Top it up with required milk, fresh fruits, dry fruits and sweetner.

Meet our multi talented friend Derek McMillan