Oatmeal Muffins with Raisins, Dates, and Walnuts

Feel free to switch out the walnuts for pecans, the raisins for cranberries or candied ginger, and so on.
Ingredients

* 1 cup of rolled oats
* 1 cup of all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 teaspoon of salt
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
* 1/4 cup of finely chopped walnuts, toasted
* 1/3 cup of raisins
* 1/3 cup of chopped dates
* 1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
* 1 cup of buttermilk
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 large egg, beaten

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a twelve-slot muffin tin or line the slots with paper baking cups.

2 Mix together the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, walnuts, dates, and raisins. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract, and butter.

3 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir together. Be sure not to over-stir as that will cause the muffins to develop too many gluten bonds. It should be thick and gloppy. About 10 seconds of stirring should do; just enough to barely bring the ingredients together. Scoop into prepared muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the tray for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 muffins