Maple Cinnamon Rice Muffins

Rice is never going to be local in Western Massachusetts, but it's one of those items I'm not ready to give up (and probably won't ever be). But most of the other ingredients in these muffins can be local - from the whole wheat pastry flour to the milk, eggs, and maple syrup. This is a nice way to use up leftover rice, and these muffins work well both in the morning and with lunch or dinner--serve them in the same types of contexts in which you would serve cornbread.

1 cup cold cooked rice (white or brown)
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional but nice)
1/4 cup maple syrup (preferably grade B)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease tins for 18 medium or 12 large muffins.

Combine the rice and milk in a medium bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup and mix well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 12 large or 18 medium muffins.