Morning Glory Muffins

When we go to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, we love to get the muffins in the bake shop. This year, I got them the morning we left so we could have some yummy muffins and coffee as we traveled down the Mystic River to Fisher's Island Sound. I love their blueberry lemon muffins and the kids love the blueberry streusel and chocolate chip muffins but hubby loves a muffin called Morning Glory. Well, the other day I was going through an old coffee table book my mom had on table settings for different occasions and low and behold, there was a recipe for Morning Glory Muffins! So I wrote it down and I just got the ingredients today. I think I'll make them tomorrow after church and when I do, I'll let you know how it goes. They look really hearty and I think they'd be great for "running out the door to school without time for breakfast" kind of situations. So here's the recipe:

Morning Glory Muffins
from "The Perfect Setting"

Morning Glory Muffins

2 1/2 cups sugar
4 c. flour
4 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins, plumped in brandy and drained
1 cup coconut, shredded
4 cups shredded carrots
2 apples, shredded
1 cup chopped pecans
6 eggs
2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Lightly dust the raisins with flour. Add the coconut, carrots, apples and nuts and stir well. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla, stirring only until combined.

Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Muffins should "ripen" for 24 hours for maximum blending of flavors.