Apple Muffins

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 and 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups peeled McIntosh apples -- sliced in 1/2-inch pieces (2 to 3 medium)
• Additional brown sugar to top muffin

With rubber spatula, cream butter and sugars by hand until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Blend in buttermilk.

Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Mix until all lumps have dissolved; do not overmix. Add apples. (Batter will be thicker than typical muffin batter.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat muffin cups measuring 3 inches across top and 2 inches across bottom (jumbo size) with non-stick vegetable cooking spray. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling to top. Top each muffin with brown sugar.

Bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until done.