Marion Cunningham Muffin Food

BASIC MUFFINS

Steps:

• 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.
• Blueberry Muffins.
• Use 1/2 cup sugar. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour, sprinkle it over 1 cup blueberries, and stir them into the batter last.
• Pecan Muffins.
• Use 1/4 cup sugar. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to the batter. After filling the cups, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and more chopped nuts.
• Whole-Wheat Muffins.
• Use 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour and 1 cup white flour.
• Date or Raisin Muffins.
• Add 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates or 1/3 cup raisins to the batter.
• Bacon Muffins.
• Add 3 strips bacon, fried crisp and crumbled, to the batter.

IRISH OATMEAL MUFFINS

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk and the oats at least 6 hours (preferably overnight) before mixing and baking the muffins.
• Stir well, cover and let rest in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 400. Grease the muffin tins.
• Put the eggs in a mixing bowl and beat just till the yolks and whites are blended.
• Add the sugar and beat till smooth and well blended.
• Add the buttermilk-oatmeal mixture.
• Add the flour, baking soda, salt and oil.
• Beat till batter is well mixed.
• Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full of batter. They usually bake about 20 minutes, but start testing for doneness after 15 minutes.
• Either remove the muffins from the tins and cool on racks or serve hot from the pan.

FRESH GINGER MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease 16 muffin pans.
• If you have a food processor, process the ginger until it is in tiny pieces. Or, hand chop it into fine pieces. You should have about 1/4 cup. It is better too much ginger than too little.
• Put the ginger and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small skillet and cook over medium heat until the sugar has melted and the mixture is hot. Do not walk away from the pan - the sugar will melt quite quickly. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
• Put the lemon zest and 3 tablespoons sugar in the food processor and process until the peel is in small bits. Or, sprinkle the sugar over the zest and chop by hand. Add the zest and sugar mix to the ginger mixture and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the butter slightly, then add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the buttermilk and mix until blended. Add the flour, salt and baking soda and beat until smooth. Add the lemon-ginger mixture and mix well.
• Spoon the batter into the muffin cups so that each cup is about 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.