BASIC MUFFINS WITH 8 VARIATIONS

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Grease 12 2 1/2-inch muffin cups. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Sift Flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Stir to mix well. In a small bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add milk and oil. Add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir mixture only until dry ingredients are moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Drop batter from a tablespoon into prepared muffins pans, filling each cup half to two-thirds full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from pan and serve hot with butter, jam or marmalade.

VARIATIONS:

GINGER MUFFINS: Add 1/2 Cup finely diced candied ginger to flour mixture before adding liquid.

BANANA PECAN MUFFINS: Prepare muffin batter but use only 1/2 cup milk. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/4 t ground nutmeg to sifted flour. Add 1 cup mashed, peeled banana with the egg, milk and oil.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS: Toss 1 cup washed and well-drained fresh or frozen blueberries with sifted flour mixture before adding liquid.

ORANGE MUFFINS: Cut 2 peeled navel oranges into sections. When batter is in the cups, place an orange section on top of each and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.

CHEESE MUFFINS: Fold 1/2 cup grated sharp yellow cheese into muffin mix with the last few strokes on batter.

SURPRISE MUFFINS: Fill muffin cups 1/3rd full of batter. Drop 1/2 t of your favorite jelly in center of batter. Add batter to fill cup 2/3rds full.

COCONUT MUFFINS: Add 1 c Shredded coconut with the last few strokes of mixing.

CHIVE MUFFINS: Fold 1/4 cup chives into the batter during the last few strokes and serve at dinner.

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), April 17, 2002

Answers

Hi Karen...just wanted to thank you for this muffin receipe. I tried it tonight for supper. I did the cheese muffin. It was GREAT! I used olive oil instead of veg oil. And I used three tablespoons of honey instead of two tablespoons of sugar. I must say they are a really moist muffin. Thanks again!

-- Sher (riverdobbers@webtv.net), April 17, 2002.