I didn't realize how much I'd missed Tyler until I took a moment to breathe. There were a few regular foodie blogger events that went on the back burner while I was moving...time to move them back up to the forefront
! Hello Tyler...I'm ready to hit the kitchen with you again. Let's go! I marked a page a while back for Cherry Poppy seed muffins, and decided to dig the cookbook out of the packing peanuts (okay, I didn't actually use packing peanuts, I used newspaper...lots of it) and get to baking!
Cherry Poppy seed Muffins
by Tyler Florence from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen p. 89
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan I used pan spray
2 c. AP flour, plus more for dusting the cherries
1 c. sugar, plus more for dusting tops I used raw sugar for the tops
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. poppy seeds
zest of 1 orange, finely grated
1 c. dried cherries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until evenly combined. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs; then add the melted butter, poppy seeds and orange zest. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well. 
Fold everything together to form a batter.
Toss the cherries with some flour to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin when baked.
Fold them into the batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling them 2/3 full.
Dust the top with a little sugar to form a crust as the muffins bake.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center muffin. Place muffin tin on a cutting board to cool.
Okay, I liked them. I didn't love them. I always do that with muffins, though...not really sure why. I'm not the biggest muffin fan; usually they are to dense for me. I don't like heavy muffins...these were a tad heavy. I like light, airy muffins. But, the flavors were good and I'd probably make them again. For other people. 
Be sure to head on over to Tyler Florence Fridays to see what the other foodies and Tyler cooked up this week!
This looks like a very good muffin! I know what you mean about not being muffin crazy, but I find that a muffin (with fruit in it) tastes better the next day (if you wrap them up tight).
yum! I like the addition of the sugar on top for a nice crust.
btw, I answered to your PREMIO MEME blog award at my blog! hee
Ive been eyeballing these also.. but havent gotten there yet.. yoyur look delicious. Love a good muffin
Dar where did you get those cherries? I will meet you for a cup of coffee and one of those unbelievable muffins!! I love muffins and have never had Cherry Poppy Seed muffins. Have a great weekend….
I'm not the biggest muffin fan either girlichef but these look pretty tasty!! I like mine a little brown and so does Prince. We love cherries so......again.....why are you trying to make me fat??????
Love from Newnan, Georgia and.....
Steady On
Reggie Girl
Those look so good - I love cherries and poppy seeds - what a delicious combo for muffins!
I felt the same way as you about the muffins - I think I like the lighter ones too, made with pastry flour and baked at a lower temp. Ina has a good blueberry one that I think you would like.
So happy to see you this week!
Looks good.... I will have to try them.
Found you by way of Colleen's recipes... I put you on my blogroll... so I will be back...
Linda from http://cookingtipoftheday.blogspot.com/
Im a lover of muffins that are not too dense. It's good to see you were able to get back in stride so quickly. I hope you're enjoying that new kitchen.
These muffins look fantastic to me! I posted recently about some lemon glazed muffins that I thought were super light in texture; you might like them. This is my first time visiting and I'm so glad I found you. I'm definitely going to come back and poke around more. I love food, too -- making it, reading about it, eating it ;) It's great to meet you.
I love muffins, with my tea! I like these, and I have some dried cherries, too, that I was wondering what to do with. They look yummy!
I've made lemon poppyseed muffins, but never cherry poppyseed. These look delicious!
I love how they are so happy that they are dancing in the pan...dance right into my hand my sweet poppy...I love citrus and poppy seed muffins and these look so perfect!
Wow, those look really great! I would have never come up with that combination, but I love it. Gotta love Tyler.
Mmmm, I wish I could reach into my computer adn grab one right now, these look awesome.
Welcome back and out from under all the boxes! The muffins look amazing--I like both the lighter ones and the more dense too so I should try them.
They look great to me! I love how their studded with contrasting-sized round shapes from the poppy seeds and cherries. I'll gladly take a few!
Gorgeous! I so wish I could find dried cherries around here, though!
ohhh. cherry poppy seed! yum! love the pics! i love flipping the muffins in the tins like that :)
Those look great and I love the tip about the cherries! :0) I just love muffins!
I love dried cherries in muffins! In fact I like dried cherries in lots of stuff.
Great job!
What a yum site! Have just voted for you in the Blogger's Choice Awards.
Pls check out my blogs too:
http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/71375, http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/71374, http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/71373 Terataii
These are on my to try list. Bet they freeze well and would work well for breakfast.
Personally, I love muffins and these look extra good. Love dried cherries, but since I can't find them here, dried cranberries will have to be it. Yummy! Muffins go over pretty well in my house.
These muffins look great. I wish I could just R E A C H O U T and bite into one...
Hey, I like the latin music too.
I see you are on BAKESPACE. I just joined this month (April 2009).
Feel free to come see my blog too. I like your wallpaper on your blog. Very pretty.
Carmen
BAKING is my ZeN