From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first featured Morning Glory Muffins in the early days of my blog. The recipe was well-received and, for years, it remained one of the most popular posts on One Perfect Bite. I'm hosting a "morning coffee" for my book club this week, and I wanted to provide baked goods for my friends that aren't usually seen at these morning affairs. I love these muffins, so I decided to unearth the recipe, and give them a prominent spot on the table of my kaffeeklatsch. The muffins were created in 1978 by Pam McKinstry who served them at her restaurant, the Morning Glory, on Nantucket Island. Time passed and word of the muffins was spread by vacationers who visited the island. The recipe for the muffins was published by Gourmet Magazine in 1991, and ten years later it made it to the list of magazine's 25 favorite recipes from the past 50 years. Since then, many have tried to improve the recipe. While they may have made the muffins a bit healthier by reducing fat and using whole grain flours, the "improved" versions of the muffins do not, in my opinion, match the flavor of the original. A lot goes into these muffins, but they are very easy to prepare and they stay fresh for several days after they've been made. The most irreverent of my children has a special name for any food that can be made or ordered "with everything". As a result, you will occasionally hear references to garbage pizzas, burgers and muffins in my house. I hate it, but what can you do? These muffins escape that designation, but just barely. Adding one more thing to the ingredient list would take it over the top and it, too, would find itself on the "garbage" list. Before that happens let me give you the original recipe. As a point of reference, these muffins are more like an apple cake or pudding then a standard breakfast muffin. They are chock full of fruit, nuts and vegetables, so they stay moist and are delicious way to start the day. Here's how they're made.
