Versatile Muffins

* This post is part of our April Top 5.  Check out the rest of the best here. *

When I lived in Texas and was single, our church's singles group would go to the beach for a weekend each summer.  It's some of my fondest memories of living in HOT, HUMID Texas.  A few of the trips, I was in charge of the food.  I loved it!  We always had shrimp fresh off the boat that day.  Which has ruined me for eating shrimp in landlocked Idaho. I liked cooking dinner, but would divvy up lunches and had foods for people to fend for themselves for breakfast.  One of the breakfast foods that is remembered by all beach weekend goers with fondness and humor is muffins.  I would make up bags of mix and then bring the ingredients for 6 different kinds.  I laminated the recipe and was made fun of for years for it.  Apparently, I'm anal.  I found this recipe in a magazine many years ago.  And since I'm elderly, I can't remember which magazine.  I love its versatility. I have since taken this same mix to family vacations.

Muffins

For all muffins combine the following, then add the ingredients for each variation:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar

Cinnamon & Sugar Mini Muffins - Makes 48

Cinnamon & Sugar Muffins

Add:

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry

Add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
2 cups frozen blueberries

Apple Cinnamon Mini Muffins

Apple Cinnamon

Add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1 apple, chopped
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Orange Cranberry

Add:
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Double Chocolate

Melt 3 oz semisweet chocolate squares & 1/2 cup of butter
Add:
chocolate mixture
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1/4 cup Nutella
Before baking drop an additional 1 tsp Nutella on each muffin

Chocolate Coconut Flake Muffins

Chocolate Coconut Flake

Melt 3 oz semisweet chocolate & 1/2 cup butter
Add:
chocolate mixture
3/4 cup coconut flakes
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
Sprinkle 1/3 cup coconut on muffins before baking

Preheat oven to 375º.  Mix all ingredients for each muffin.  Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.  Pour muffin batter in pan so cup is 3/4 full.  Bake for 25 minutes for large muffins.  Makes 6 large muffins or 12 regular size muffins.

For a 

printable version 

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