1/3 c. sugar
1 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk (sour milk is okay)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 1/2 c. peeled apple, diced finely
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour muffin pans. Combine sugar and butter in small bowl and mix until crumbly. Combine brown sugar, oil, and egg in large bowl.

In another bowl, combine buttermilk, soda, salt, and vanilla. Blend flour into brown sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, stirring just until ingredients are combined. Fold in apple and pecans. Divide batter evenly among muffin pans and sprinkle with sugar-butter mixture. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 15 muffins.