CLASSIC BERRY-STREUSEL MUFFINS

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons firm (cold) butter
FOR THE MUFFINS:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh, frozen or canned (drained) blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups with shortening or line with paper baking cups.

TO MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
In medium bowl, mix 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Cut in 2 tablespoons firm (cold) butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 tables knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until crumbly. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE MUFFINS:
In large bowl, beat milk, oil and egg with fork or wire whisk. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in blueberries.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Sprinkle each with about 1 tablespoon Streusel Topping.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If baked in greased pan, let stand about 5 minutes in pan, then remove from pan to wire rack; if baked in paper cups, immediately remove from pan to wire rack. Serve warm if desired.

VARIATIONS:

APPLE-CINNAMON MUFFINS:
Omit blueberries. Beat in 1 cup chopped, peeled apple (about 1 medium) with milk. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon with flour. Bake 25-30 minutes.

BANANA MUFFINS:
Omit blueberries. Decrease milk to 1/3 cup. Beat in 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium) with milk. Use packed brown sugar instead of white sugar.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE MUFFINS:
Omit blueberries. Beat in 1 tablespoon grated orange peel with milk. Fold 1 cup cranberry halves into batter.

Yield: 1 dozen
Source: Betty Crocker Baking for Today