Pistachio Chai Muffins

I may as well admit this now.  I have a few flavor obsessions.  One being mango, the other chai.  Both began during my time in India 2 years ago.  And both are pretty hard to satisfy being back home because nothing beats a tree ripened mango eaten the correct way (check out the picture below), or drinking chai served in a tin cup on the side of the road when its 100+ degrees out.

So when I saw this recipe in the May edition of Cooking Light, I knew I would be making them sooner or later.  And now I'm regretting not making them sooner.  However the radiology and surgery residents will appreciate the delay and that I tripled the recipe.

Here's the basic recipe.  Fortunately for me and unfortunately for you I learned to bake with my mom who hardly measures anything and most recipes which are passed down from her are general ideas.  But don't let that scare you, it just means you can adjust the flavors to your own preference and these muffins will be amazing either way!  One can never have too much cinnamon, so I added a bit to the glaze as well as the muffin batter, along with a few other chai flavors.

Muffin Batter, makes 12
1 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
A few shakes of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 (or 3) chai blend black tea bags
1 cup buttermilk (or milk with about 1 teaspoon vinegar added and allowed to sit for 5 minutes)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix all the dry ingredients.
Add the contents of the tea bags.
Mix the wet ingredients.  Add to the dry mixture while stirring.
Don't over-stir; leave some lumps and bumps.
Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
Divide batter evenly.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Bake for 15 minutes at 375, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack.

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
splash of milk
dash of cinnamon
While the muffins are baking mix all the ingredients together.  Spoon on top of the mostly cooled muffins.