Locavore muffins

I clearly can't get enough of the peach-blueberry summertime combo.  I came up with this recipe while I was sitting in class today to utilize the fruit on hand.  I am back in VT and the peaches and blueberries are both local.  So's the flour, and the milk, and the butter, and the eggs, and the applesauce...heaven for a locavore.

Peach-blueberry muffins

-3 cups sifted white-whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur) 

-1 1/4 cups milk 

-1 tsp. salt

-1/2 tsp. baking powder

-1 tsp. baking soda

-1 tsp. vanilla

-1/4 cup wheat germ 

-1 stick butter, softened

-1/2 cup peach or mixed berry applesauce

-3 eggs, at room temperature

-1 1/2 cups plus 2 tsp. light brown sugar

-1 cup blueberries, rinsed and picked over for stems

-3 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped into small chunks

-Zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a muffin pan (any size you like is fine) and line with cupcake/muffin wrappers.  Sift flour with salt, baking powder, baking soda and wheat germ and set aside. 

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add applesauce and continue to beat until light and airy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and mix.  Add flour mixture and milk in on-off turns, beating well after each addition but taking care not to overmix.  With a spatula, fold in peaches, blueberries and lemon zest.  Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way full.  Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top of each one (or if you want to be decadent, crumble brown sugar with a little butter and sprinkle on top). Bake for about 29-31 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Stay tuned.  Tomorrow's recipe will feature local strawberries: small, perfectly ripe and the best ones I've had since I lived in England.