Whole Wheat Oatmeal Fruit Muffins

This morning, one thing after another lead up to... this! 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Fruit Muffins.

I ♥ it when the wheat flour, combined with other things in my 'lab', ends up  smelling and tasting like these!

Believe me, a little dab of butter doesn't hurt the flavor any........

INGREDIENTS:
(Read through ingredient list and directions before starting.)

• 1 cup rolled oats (I used old-fashioned oats)
• 1 cup milk (preferably buttermilk)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 (1 stick) butter, barely melted (or just really soft)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup 100% whole wheat flour (OR, 1 cup all-purpose white flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (Use only 1 teaspoon if you use all white flour.)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (fine salt blends in more easily)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins, other dried fruit OR chocolate chips (I used dried cherries*-- see my note below)
• 1/2 cup cup walnut halves (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the milk and oats in a medium mixing bowl, let this sit for about an hour.
2. *If you choose to add dried fruit to these muffins like I did, put it in a separate small dish and pour 2 tablespoons of VERY HOT water over; cover tightly while the oatmeal is soaking in the milk.
3. After the oats/milk have 'been together' for an hour, preheat oven to 400 degrees (in my oven, I use 375 degrees).  Fill a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
4. Add the sugar, egg and butter to the oats/milk combination; stir well.
5. Combine the dry ingredients and shake through a wire strainer, or sifter, and dump on top of the batter; gently/briefly stir into the batter ONLY until well mixed.  (If you have bran left in your strainer/sifter, put that into the batter, also.)
6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin papers.
7. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes.  The oatmeal muffins should be brown (only golden brown if using all white flour) and firm to the touch.  Since ovens VARY, I carefully check for doneness with a sharp knife after 20 minutes. 
8. Let the muffins cool in the pan for just a few minutes before removing them;  place on a rack to cool further.