My plan was to make rocket muffins from Macrina Bakery in Seattle (best bakery in the northwest) and dedicate them to my boys, the Seahawks. But as I was making the muffins I found out that my mom’s struggling with some health issues. So today, this one’s for Mom.

Rocket Muffins (care of Macrina Bakery)

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup walnuts, ¾ cup all-purpose unbleached flour, ¾ cup whole-wheat flour, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cup rolled oats, 3 medium carrots, grated, 1 small ripe banana (mashed or pureed), 2 eggs, ½ cup canola oil, ½ cup molasses, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup raspberry preserves

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375. Brush the insides of a muffin tin with canola oil.  Sift flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Add oats, chopped walnuts, and grated carrots. Toss with your hands until ingredients are combined.  In a separate medium bowl, combine banana, eggs, canola oil, molasses, and buttermilk. Mix fully with a whisk. Add mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir just until batter comes together, taking care not to over-mix.  Scoop batter into oiled muffin tins, filling them to the top. Bake on center rack of oven for about 25 minutes, or until tops are deep brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, then dent each muffin with a spoon and top with a dollop of raspberry preserves. Slide a fork down the side of each muffin and gently lift it from the pan.

Just a couple of notes:  Because I filled the muffin pan too full, they were really hard to take out of the pan (someone will need a spoon to dig them out and enjoy).  Even though the recipe calls for raspberry preserves, I used my friend, Kristi Lou’s delicious strawberry jam.  Made them just a bit more special.