I just realized that it's been a while since I've made or posted anything breakfast-related. Mornings have been busy, even weekends and we've basically been just going with the basics--cereal, eggs and toast, hot oatmeal and of course our favorite, make-ahead treat, Baked Oatmeal. But I came across this recipe on the very same day that blackberries were on sale in the supermarket and I decided to take that as a sort of cosmic hint...

We're really coming into the exciting fruit season now! After a very long winter with not much but citrus fruits to keep us going, the berries are starting to finally be available and good tasting again! These corn muffins would be wonderful on their own but the addition of the sweet/tart bIackberries really sends them over the top! And these come together so easily--you don't need a mixer or any special tools--that there's really no excuse not to make them more. What's better than waking up and knowing there are delicious homemade muffins all ready for you?!!

You start by mixing together the dry ingredients, adding them to the wet ingredients and then folding in the blackberries. Then you overload muffin cups with the batter--

And bake till they fill the house with a wonderful smell and have those beautiful golden brown domed tops!

The muffin is light and moist and loaded with the tanginess of burst-in-your-mouth ripe blackberries combined with the goodness of a traditional corn muffin! What a way to start the day!!

Blackberry Corn Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Bake Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 3/4 cup buttermilk, well shaken

• 3/4 cup canola oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups blackberries (you can use frozen, don't defrost-also if you want you can make these with an equal amount of any other kind of berries)

The Recipe

1.  Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray the top of the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3.  In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Slowly add the flour mixture, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate all of the dry ingredients with the wet, but not over mixing or you'll end up with dried out, dense muffins. It's ok if there are lumps. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the blackberries.

4.  Fill the muffin tins and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the muffins are golden brown and the tops spring back lightly when you press on them. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool the muffins in the tin for about 5 minutes. Then remove and cool on the rack. Muffins are wonderful on the same day as you bake them but also last for several days stored airtight at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster.