Apricot And Poppy Seed Muffins

6 ozs apricot baby food

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick butter or margarine -- room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

finely chopped nuts

Line 12 muffin tins with a paper or foil liner or grease the pans well with butter or vegetable shortening. Spoon the baby food into a small bowl and stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam up. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth, then add the eggs and mix well. Add the flour, salt, vanilla, the apricot mixture and the poppy seeds or nuts, and mix just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter among the 12 cups, filling each cup 2/3 full, and bake in a preheated 350 F oven about 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins on a wire rack. These muffins will keep, if well wrapped, at room temperature for three days and refrigerated for up to a week. To freeze, cool completely and then store in an airtight freezer bag. Defrost, covered, at room temperature.