Oatmeal muffins for a winter morn

Though winter can be unkindly cold, a bowl of hot oatmeal in the morning can warm you up and give any day a good start. Try adding a pinch of cinnamon, a dash of vanilla, and a handful of raisins to the oats as they are added to the boiling water, the top with some sunflower or sesame seeds and serve with milk or plain yogurt.

But oats needn't be limited to a breakfast cereal, because they are delicious in breads, cakes, pastry, cookies, and pancakes. Here is a recipe for oatameal banana muffins that would be welcome on a cold winter morning. Oatmeal Banana Muffins 1/2 cup softened butter or oil 2 eggs 1 cup mashed bananas, 2 or 3 medium-sized bananas 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup yogurt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup rolled oats

Butter 18 muffin caups. In a mixer bowl, combine butter of oil, eggs, bananas, honey. Mix together yogurt and baking soda and add to first mixture. Cream well.

Add flour to creamed mixture, mixing until just blended. Stir in oats. Fill muffin cups two-thirds full of batter. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack. Makes 18 muffins.