MUFFINS

1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose unbleached or whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups, 2-1/2 x l-1/4 inches. Beat egg in large bowl; stir in milk and oil. Stir in remaining ingredients all at once just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Spoon into muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.
1 dozen muffins.

*If using self-rising flour. omit baking powder and salt.

Variations
Banana Muffins: Decrease milk to 1/3 cup; stir in 1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3 medium) with the milk. Substitute packed brown sugar for the sugar.

Buttermilk Muffins: Substitute buttermilk for the milk. Decrease baking powder to 2 teaspoons and stir in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda with the flour.

Date-Nut Muffins: Stir in 1/2 cup cut-up pitted dates and 1/3 cup chopped nuts with the milk.

French puffs: Roll hot muffins immediately in about 1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted, then in mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Honey Muffins: Substitute honey for the sugar; stir in honey and 2 tablespoons grated orange peel with the milk. Spoon 1 teaspoon orange marmalade onto batter in each cup before baking.

Molasses-Bran Muffins: Pour milk on 1-1/2 cups whole bran cereal; let stand 1 minute. Stir in with oil. Decrease flour to 1-1/4 cups and substitute molasses for the sugar.