LITTLE GEM MINI MUFFINS

Despite the time change, my youngest son and I were up and about bright and early, and we decided to make muffins for the rest of the family. He loves to help me in the kitchen, so it was a lovely time cooking and chatting, and slowly waking up to the day.
These are delicious little gems - as precious as their name and the boy who helped me bake them.

LITTLE GEM MINI MUFFINS

2 cups flour
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 400F.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the blueberries and cherries.
In a separate bowl, stir together the milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla.
Spray or use mini muffin liners, in a mini muffin pan. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, and stir until just moistened.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into a muffins center comes out clean, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Family Fun, April 2010
familyfun.go.com/recipes/