Dried Cherry Muffins

When your favorite fruits aren't in season, here's a solution to this unseasonal dilemma: Dried Fruits. As snacks, they deliver a burst of concentrated flavor. And in these recipe, most of the fruits reconstitute to a product similar to fresh. Until cherries ripen again, these will do just fine.

Ingredients:


1/2   - cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
3/4   - cup sugar
2      - large eggs
2      - teaspoons grated lemon rind
2      - tablespoons lemon juice
2      - cups all-purpose flour
1      - teaspoon baking soda
1/2   - teaspoon salt
1      - cup buttermilk
2/3   - cup chopped dried cherries
1/2   - cup chopped walnuts.




Procedure:


Step 1
- Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy, gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, on at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in lemon rind and juice.


Step 2
- Combine flour, soda, and salt, add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, begining and ending with flour mixture. Stir just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in cherries and walnuts.


Step 3
- Spoon batter into lightly greased muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.


Step 4
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans immediately.


Yeild: 15 muffins