• Hi there, my name is Heidi Swanson. 101 Cookbooks is my recipe journal. It's where I write about the recipes that intersect my life, travels, and everyday interests. Often the recipes are from my cookbook collection, sometimes not - they might come from a friend, or I might write about a recipe I created myself.
  
  I focus primarily on natural, whole foods and ingredients - vegetarian recipes that are good for you and for the planet. Welcome!

Yes, these are as good as they sound - Particularly hot out of the oven brushed with butter and rolled in a generous coating of sugar and cinnamon.

A few weeks back I was browsing through the used cookbook section at Green Apple books, and came across the Jim Town Store Cookbook. I've spent my fair share of time in the Napa Valley yet somehow have never been there. The book is packed full of all sorts of recipes that could make up the perfect California picnic or outdoor eating experience. Apple Buttermilk Slaw, Flaky Hand Pies, Brie + Chopped Olive Sandwiches, and of course the recipe that caught my attention...Kathleen's Doughnut Muffins.

The initial reason it casught my eye is that I hate deep frying. It makes me and everything in the house smell fried. So I just don't. Ever. Aside from the fact that a doughnut flavored muffin sounded delicious, this recipe also starts off by saying this recipe is for those of us who like doughnuts, but don't like deep frying. Bingo.

This recipe makes at least 2 dozen extra large muffins. I started by sifting together a lot of flour with baking powder, soda, and salt. There was no vanilla extract in these but they did call for a full teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, which smelled amazing. I creamed the butter (yes, alot) with the sugar, and added eggs, the dry ingredients, and both milk and buttermilk. Not at all in that order.

It appears I successfully greased and floured the muffin tins (even though I was very tempted to use cupcake papers), because the muffins fell right out of the pan for once. I let them cool down just a bit and then slathered them up with their sugar coating.

These are delicious right out of the oven. They seem like they could certainly get a little dry and bread-y after a night or so on the counter, but I doubt they will last that long in most houses.

I was thinking these would also be good infused with some citrus, for a twist. Maybe a lime-sugar doughtnut muffin, or even lemon or orange. Def. a keeper. Thank you to Kathleen Stewart and the Jimtown Cookbook.

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