Basic Muffins with Variations

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

Grease 12 (2-1/2) inch muffin cups. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Stir to mix well. In 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 muffin 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:

BANANA PECAN MUFFINS: Prepare muffin batter but use only 1/2 cup milk. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/4 teaspoon 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 teaspoon of jelly in center of batter. Add batter to fill cup 2/3rds full.

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