Applesauce and chocolate chip muffins

It has been eons since I last blogged at all, and even longer about cooking ...!! Seems like yesterday, though, since I was absolutely busy with the home renovations, moving in, visits from my folks and sis... , preparing our daughter for the new academic year and all this done without a maid ...phew...!!

Anyway, all that is behind me now...I was doing a lot of cooking, but nothing experimental ... or even though I experimented, it was nothing good enough to post about... hmm...notice how 'post' rhymes with 'boast'............????????? :)

But this recipe is great and it just so happened that i was chatting with a good friend and she passed on this recipe. I had 3 red apples and all the other ingredients ready with me, so i decided to try it out... the result has been amazing... and i had to share it with you too...

Do read this through before you start...

the original recipe is from Catcancook.com... so feel free to check her site. It is great.

This recipe calls for applesauce that can either be store-bought or homemade. I used to make applesauce for my daughter when she was a baby. So i just did the same here. I am sure there are many recipes out there for applesauce. but the one I give here is my version - very easy to make and all natural.

Medium size red apples - 3 (peeled ,cored and cut into small cubes )

Lemon juice - 1/4 tsp (reduce if the apples are sour. )

Sugar - 2 tsp

Water - 1/4 cup

put all ingredients in a saucepan, and let the apples cook through. When cool, pulse twice or thrice in a mixer till the lumps are gone . the applesauce is ready. This yielded exactly 1 cup and a half for me.

For the muffins..

Applesauce - 1 and 1/2 cups

Sugar - 3/4 cups (my applesauce was just right - tangy and sweet. Add more sugar - upto 1 cup if u need it more sweet.)

Egg - 1 (lightly beaten)

Melted butter - 1/3 cup (can use margarine or oil . equal to 75 gms approx)

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Flour - 1 and 1/2 cups

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Chocolate chips - 1/2 cup

Mix the butter, sugar, applesauce and egg. Keep aside. Sieve the flour with the cinnamon powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix both wet and dry ingredients together. Toss in the chocolate chips.

Preheat oven. Bake at 350 F/ 180 C for 20 minutes in greased muffin trays. I used tiny glass bowls so it took 25 minute at 180 C and another 5 minutes at 120 C in the convection oven.