Basic Muffins

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter muffin pans. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, and butter, stirring only enough to dampen the flour; the batter should not be smooth. Spoon into the muffin pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes each.

Step 2

Use ½ cup sugar. Reserve ¼ cup of the flour, sprinkle it over 1 cup blueberries, and stir them into the batter last.

Step 3

Use ¼ cup sugar. Add ½ cup chopped pecans to the batter. After filling the cups, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and more chopped nuts.

Step 4

Use ¾ cup whole-wheat flour and 1 cup white flour.

Step 5

Add ½ cup chopped pitted dates or ⅓ cup raisins to the batter.

Step 6

Add 3 strips bacon, fried crisp and crumbled, to the batter.