Cherry almond muffins

This week's recipe comes from the darling food blog,

The Pastry Affair.

Bing cherries are in season right now.

However, with a 2-lb bag, you will inevitably end up with more than you can eat.

This recipe is a PERFECT way to use up those leftovers

and have a fun and easy "to-go" breakfast treat all week long!

Tips and adaptations, you ask?

Use canola or vegetable oil if you don't have natural applesauce.

(We can't all be tree-huggers after all.)

You can substitute slivered almonds for sliced.
Plums, nectarines, or peaches could also be used as the starring fruit.

No turbinado sugar? No problem.  Next time you're at S-bux, just pocket a few "raw" sugars (in the brown packets).  If you feel guilty, STOP for a moment and consider how much they're ripping you off on that grande non-fat latte you just ordered.  And then take 2 more.

A pinch of salt will bring out the cherry and almond flavors.

Finally, serve warm with a pat of butter and enjoy with milk or coffee!

They're so good I've dubbed them Cherry Merry Muffins.

You remember those dolls, right?

They smelled so damn good.

But looking back, why the hell would you want to smell like a freaking muffin?

I had all of them but the black one.

I didn't even know their was a black one and now I feel bad.

Like I was a racist child or something.  But I wasn't!!!

They never had her in the stores!  I would have loved her and her apple muffins!

It's like my Holiday Barbie Collection.  I had all of them,

stereotypically clad in their poofy ballgowns, blond-haired and blue-eyed.

Then one year, one of my aunts bought me a black one

and threw the whole collection off.

At first, I was like "what the hell".

But it ultimately called my attention to the fact that Barbie is a bitch.

Why wasn't  there a brunette or an Asian Holiday Barbie?  F that, Mattel!

Haven't you ever seen America's Next Top Model?

I digress.  

I wonder if those Cherry Merry Muffin dolls still smell like baked goods

all packed away in my parent's closet??

I was always partial to that banana broad.

In fact, I think I'll have another muffin now.

Happy baking!

~Images via The Pastry Affair, toygeek, & b~