tempting to turn on the oven and bake something sweet.

The aroma of muffins or brownies baking adds a coziness to the house, an unspoken invitation to gather at the kitchen table for a snack and conversation. That may be nostalgia speaking, because many of us today have to squeeze in such pleasures at night or on weekends.

Now that people don't seem to have as much time to bake, homemade sweets are probably appreciated even more.

*** APPLESAUCE OATMEAL MUFFINS Streusel Topping: 1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon Muffings: 11/2 cups uncooked oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned 11/4 cups flour 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup applesauce, any type 1/2 cup skim milk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 egg white, lightly beaten HEAT oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms only with cookings spray.

Combine topping ingredients; set aside.

Muffins: Combine dry ingredients; mix well. Combine applesauce, milk, oil and egg white; mix well. Add to dry ingredients; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix.

Fill muffin cups almost full; sprinkle evenly with topping. Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool muffins 5 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan. Serve warm. Makes 12, each 170 calories, 3 grams fat, 105 mg.

sodium.

*** RUMB-TOP PUMPKIN-OATMEAL MUFFINS Topping: 1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice Muffins: 11/2 cups flour 1 cup uncooked oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 11/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional 1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional 1 cup canned pumpkin 3/4 cup skim milk 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 egg whites, lightly beaten HEAT oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray bottoms with cooking spray. Combine topping ingredients.

Muffins: Combine dry ingredients well. Combine pumpkin, milk, oil and egg whites; mix well. Add to dry ingredients; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. Fill muffin cups almost full; sprinkle with topping.

Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool muffins 5 minutes in pan on wire rack; remove from pan. Serve warm.

Makes 12, each 190 calories, 4 grams fat, 115 mg. sodium.

*** CRANBERRY CARROT CAKE 21/2 cups unbleached flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon vanilla 16-oz. can whole cranberry sauce or 2 cups homemade sauce 11/2 cups finely shredded carrots, about 3 medium-to-large carrots 1/2 cup flaked coconut, optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans IN large bowl, sift together flour, soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed of electric mixer until light and lemon-colored. Beat in oil, vanilla and 2/3 of cranberry sauce. Add dry ingredients, stirring to mix well. Gently stir in carrots, coconut and nuts.

Grease a large ring or Bundt pan. Spoon batter into pan. Spread remaining cranberry sauce atop batter, then use a knife to gently "marble'' it into the batter wtih a swirling motion. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until cake tests done (insert a toothpick; it should come out clean.) Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with cream cheese frosting.

FROSTING: Beat together a 3-ounce package cream cheese (at room temperature) and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/4 teaspoon orange oil. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, just enough for mixture to be drizzled thickly. Spoon onto cake.

CRANBERRY SAUCE: If you prefer to make your own sauce, boil 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Add 2 heaping cups cranberries, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until cranberries burst. Chill.

*** The flavours of chocolate and coffee combine in these brownies, which have a dark chocolate-nut filling and chocolate glaze.

TRIPLE ESPRESSO BROWNIES 1 package (1 lb. 5.5 oz.) fudge brownie mix 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup oil 1 egg 2 teaspons instant espresso coffee granules 1 teaspoon vanilla Filling: 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee granules 1 tespoon teaspoon vanilla 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 3 bars (4 oz. each) sweet dark or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Glaze: 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso coffee granules 1 to 2 teaspoons milk or cream HEAT oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13-by-9-inch pan. In large bowl, combine all brownies ingredients.

Beat 50 strokes by hand. Spread in greased pan. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat 1/4 cup butter with brown sugar until fluffy.

Add egg, 2 teaspoons coffee granules and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend well.

Combine nuts with chopped chhocolate. Add brown sugar mixture; blend well.

Spoon and carefully spread over partially baked brownies. Bake at 350 degrees for an additional 17 to 20 minutes or until light brown.

In small pan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. With wire whisk, stir in coffe granules and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm brownies. Cool. Cut into 48 bars, each 150 calories, 8 grams fat, 55 mg. sodium.

*** This decadent dessert from Chocolatier magazine features a chocolate layer topped by a peanut butter-crunch layer in a chocolate crumb crust. Only the crust requires baking.

PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH PIE Chocolate Wafer Crust: 13/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 35 wafers) 1/4 cup unslated unsalted peanuts, chopped 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Chocolate-peanut butter crunch filling: 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 cups milk 2 large egg yolks 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup heavy cream Garnish: Sweetened whipped cream 1/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts Crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, chopped peanuts and melted butter. Press evenly into bottom and up the side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake crust 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Cool on wire rack.

In medium saucepan, off the heat, combine sugar with cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the milk and yolks until smooth. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until mixture comes to boil and thickens, about 7 to 10 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in peanut butter.

In small bowl, combine 1 cup of hot peanut butter mixture with chocolate chips and stir until chips are melted. Scrape mixture into prepared crust. Cover surface of the filling with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, until set.

Transfer remaining peanut butter mixture to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill 45 minutes, until cool but not set.

In medium bowl, with hand-held electric mixer, beat heavy cream to soft peaks.

With rubber spatula, gently fold cream into peanut butter mixture. Spread over the chocolate filling and smooth into an even layer. Chill one hour or until set.

Garnish top of pie with whipped cream and a sprinkling of chopped peanuts.

From Chocolatier magazine (published six times a year, $23.95, 815-734-1109.)