Orange Raisin Walnut Muffins

Just made this recipe from Harrowsmith Cookbook, and they're probably the best muffins I've ever baked. Not too sweet, but not bland, and the cinnamon and orange just compliment each other so well! Nice crunchy walnuts here and there and raisins scattered throughout...I altered the recipe jussst a bit, and they turned out to be the perfect muffin, I think. (The procedure to mixing them is a bit different, I found, but the texture was great in the end, so it was worth cleaning an extra bowl or two.)

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 1  cup brown sugar
• 1  egg
• 1  orange, zest of
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1  cup white flour
• 1  cup whole wheat flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  cup raisins
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, coarsly chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease muffin tins or line with papers(I find it's sometimes a good idea to spray these too, and to get the outside of the tins as well, so the tops don't stick).
2. Mix together shortening and sugar in a large bowl, then stir in orange zest.
3. In another bowl, beat egg well and stir in buttermilk. Add a small squeeze of orange juice right from the orange too, if you'd like.
4. Stir baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour together in another bowl.
5. Put dry ingredients into the sugar/shortening mix, and stir a few times(it will be *very* lumpy, lots of flour left, but don't worry).
6. Stir in buttermilk/egg mixture til everything is just combined, still some lumps left.
7. Fold in walnuts and raisins.
8. Pour about 1/4-1/3 cup batter into muffin tins. There should be more than you'd usually fill (the normal 2/3 way up) them, so that they almost spill out oover the top of the tin.
9. Bake about 25-30 minutes, test with a toothpick to make sure they're all cooked inside.
10. Enjoy!