Fresh Strawberry Muffins

This past weekend Alex and I headed out to the fields to pick strawberries. It was a gorgeous morning, full of sunshine, and the crops were bountiful thanks to an early spring and summer. We had our pick of rows and thankfully the row we picked was full of fat, ripe berries.
With our box full, visions of strawberry goodies were already running through my mind as the car wandered through the country on our way home. I knew strawberry jam was a given…the recipe straight off the box. But what to do with the other berries. I checked all my starred recipes in google reader and came across this one for muffins.

I quickly threw them together this morning before I headed out to the chiropractor and they did not disappoint. Moist, filling, and bursting with strawberry goodness, these were a winner. I did cut the recipe in half and came out with 11 muffins so had I made the full recipe I’m sure my yield would have been more like 22 as opposed to 18. Either way, they are a great way to use up some berries you picked from the ground or up from the store.

Fresh Strawberry Muffins
yield: 11-12
adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C of Flour, + 1/2 T

1/2 T baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup + 2T sugar

1 large eggs

1 1/4 t vanilla

3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt (I used 1/2 C yogurt and 1/4 C Sour Cream b/c I didn’t have enough

Generous 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling tops (optional)

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 400

-Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

-Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition followed by the vanilla and almond extract.

-

Beat in half of dry ingredients, followed by a third of the yogurt.

Add remaining dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the yogurt, until incorporated.

-Toss strawberries with the remaining 1/2 Tbsp flour and add to the mixer, mixing for just a few more seconds to distribute evenly (the batter will be very thick).

-

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with paper liners.

Divide the batter evenly among cup

-

Bake for 8 minutes and then decrease oven temperature to 375 and bake for ~12 more minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

-

Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing and cooling completely.