Rosemary Muffins

I probably should have made these into a fancy variation of the croissant.

Rosemary-infused croissants?  Hmmmm.

You see, today I had a very good morning at the bakery.  It's not every day that everything I bake lives up to my expectations (this bar is set pretty high).  Cakes stick to pans, cookies get a touch browner than I'd prefer (I'm very particular and careful with my cookies; crisp edges with a slightly under baked, gooey center is where it's at), banana bread doesn't rise at much as I'd like).  Today, however, everything turned out beautiful: red velvet cupcakes domed, buttermilk pies cracked, petit fours became a beautiful golden. 

As a result, I was feeling empowered and spent the evening at home cooking in the kitchen.  Yes, after six hours of baking, I still chose to stand in my own kitchen listening to Celine Dion (Nathan was making his weekly run to Home Depot) making mango salsa, barbecue salmon, sauteed zucchini and had the urge to make these muffins. 

These were my go-to muffin the summer before my senior year in college.  I made them almost weekly (ps great after bar food. you heard me).  If you love rosemary, than these babies are for you.  A slightly sweet muffin doused with rosemary and a light sprinkling of sugar on top.  Perfect for family brunch, an afternoon snack, or over the sink after a late night out, of course.

I'll conquer those croissants next time.  My chicken salad would like that.

Rosemary Muffins

Makes 10 muffins

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine milk and rosemary in 2-cup glass measure.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Add butter, stirring until melted. Cool to room temperature (I'm impatient and placed mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes).

Combine flour, 2/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk mixture and egg, and add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over muffins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until the muffins spring back when lightly touched in center. Remove the muffins from the pan immediately, and place on a wire rack.

Adapted from Cooking Light.