RHUBARB MUFFINS w/STREUSEL TOPPING & WONDERFUL VANILLA NUTMEG GLAZE

My rhubarb is ready for harvesting! Last year I planted it and this is the first time that I have been able to walk outside and cut rhubarb stems to process for pies, cakes, muffins, jelly, etc. etc. etc. My Mom always had rhubarb plants and we enjoyed the desserts she made with them.

Mom made rhubarb sauce by adding sugar to the cut-up rhubarb and cooking it until it was just the right consistency for sauce. Yum mm it was so delicious. Once while the hot liquid was bubbling on the stove, my son Rodey - then 10 years old - picked up the stirring spoon and began stirring the mix. It bubbled out of the pan onto his bare feet which was very frightening and very painful for him. His feet healed nicely but it wasn't fun for him.

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I recently found this new recipe. The muffins are in the oven now and the aroma dwarfing through the house is so inviting.

First, (in a small bowl, mix the TOPPING ingredients of flour, sugar, butter and nutmeg, mix with a pastry blender, stir in pecans and sit in fridge while you make the batter.

TOPPING:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

cut 1/2 cup cold butter into small cubes

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Second, Make the batter: in a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg or ginger, brown sugar, stir to mix. In a smaller bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: oil, buttermilk, vanilla. Whisk them together. Add the wet to the dry and stir, just till everything is incorporated. Stir in rhubarb. Mix lightly. Line your muffin tin with paper. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full.

BATTER INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 t. Salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (or ginger)

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 egg

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb (1/2-inch pieces)

Take your topping ingredients from the fridge and add about 2 1/2 Tablespoons to each muffin, lightly press the topping into each muffin. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes and mix up the glaze ingredients and drizzle on each muffin.

GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 t. Vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)

A sprinkle of nutmeg

Delectable muffins with a good cup of coffee! Doesn't that sound good?