Chocolate Muffins

MAKE YOUR OWN MUFFINS ANY WAY YOU WANT!!



Mix together the following ingredients, using your choice of the suggested alternatives (singly or in combination shown in brackets.)
Within the ranges given, vary the amounts of wet and dry ingredients to create the consistency you like.
REMEMBER -- To make light and tender quick breads and muffins, mix the liquid and dry ingredients together for only 20 seconds.
Did you know that you can make muffins out of most quick bread recipe or make bread out of any muffin recipe.

2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour (substitute up to 1 cup wheat flour, rolled oats, cornmeal, crushed dry cereal).
½ teaspoon salt
½ to 2/3 cup sweetener (white or brown sugar, honey or maple syrup)
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 to 4 tablespoons oil or melted butter (increase to ½ cup for a more cake like consistency)
1 cup liquid (milk, cream, orange juice, or buttermilk).
Note: If you use buttermilk, add ½ teaspoon baking soda per cup of buttermilk.
1 egg, slightly beaten.

OPTIONAL: ½ cup chopped nuts, chopped apple, mashed banana, canned pumpkin, applesauce, raisins, chocolate chips, cranberries, dried fruit.

Preheat oven to 500°F. When you put muffins in a very hot oven initially and then immediately drop the temperature, you help create the peaks that make them so appealing.

Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and any spices you choose and stir until well combined. In another bowl, combine the oil or melted butter, egg, sweetener and liquid and blend until smooth. Add the dry to the wet stirring only to combine. Stir in any optional ingredients.

Fill muffin cups and put in oven. Immediately drop the temperature to 400° and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.