PEANUT BUTTER CUP-BLISS MUFFINS

Yesterday I looked in my garage fridge and realized that the 8 containers of yogurt were all past their expiration dates. I've used yogurt up to a month past expiration, but I thought I should move this process along. So I decided to bake muffins. Not wanting to repeat muffins I've already made, I concocted this muffin. The title should probably be something like "peanut butter cup-bliss muffins with peanut crumb topping," but I thought that was too long. Anyway, the yogurt did its job. These muffins are
nice and moist and pretty flavorful. And, P. S., I would have used milk-chocolate chips; but when I checked my pantry, I found I didn't have any. And, true to my word, I wasn't going to go out and buy any when I had the Bliss on hand. Feel free to sub milk chocolate chips for the Bliss. These muffins are a nice change, and I enjoyed them.

Peanut Butter Cup-Bliss Muffins
Rating: 8 out of 10
INGREDIENTS:
Crumb Topping:
1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped fine
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 Tbsp. melted butter

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and work together with a fork or with your fingers.

Muffins:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips, chunks or Hershey Bliss Milk Chocolate cut into small pieces
3/4 cup - 1 cup Reese's PB Miniatures, chopped, then frozen
1 cup vanilla nonfat or low-fat yogurt
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. chocolate flavor (optional)

Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by spraying with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk. Add the milk chocolate and the frozen PB cups and toss to distribute. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients till smooth and well combined. Add all at once to the dry ingredients, using a spatula. Only mix to combine, leaving lumps. It's important not to overmix. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup and top with about 1-1/2 Tbsp. topping, pressing in slightly. Place muffins in oven and immediately reduce heat to 350F. Bake about 16-19 minutes, or till toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Cool in pans about 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to wire rack to finish cooling. Yield: 12 muffins.