Strawberry Almond Muffins

Strawberry-Almond Muffins

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins by lightly greasing, spraying with nonstick vegetable oil or lining with paper.

Thoroughly rinse the fruit and remove the stems. Slice strawberries and place them in a measuring cup until you have about 1 cup of prepared fruit.

In a small bowl, combine strawberry slices, 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until blended. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, lightly whisk eggs. Add milk and melted butter and thoroughly combine with the whisk. Then, with as few strokes as possible, blend the milk, butter and egg mixture with the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the large mixing bowl.

Lightly fold in the strawberries and almonds and spoon batter into each muffin well, until each is about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and a wooden pick or knife comes cleanly out of the center of a muffin. Remove muffins from the pan immediately and cool on a wire rack. Repeat the process with remaining batter. Store in an airtight container or wrap to freeze for up to 30 days.