CHERRY MUFFINS
First Place, Pecan Quick Muffins

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1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs (separated)
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
Maraschino cherries, drained
Finely ground pecans
Pecan halves
Powdered sugar

Cream well the butter and sugars. Add well beaten egg yolks, flour, baking powder, cherry juice and beaten egg whites. Grease muffin tins and sprinkle with finely ground pecans. Put one teaspoon dough, then a whole cherry, then another teaspoon of dough in muffin tins. Sprinkle finely ground pecans on top and place a pecan half on top of each muffin. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove from muffin tins. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Watch closely while baking since these can burn easily. The muffins can be kept in tins or frozen. If you use small muffin tins, use about 3/4 teaspoon of batter instead of 1 teaspoon. Charlene Luedke, Marlin, Texas