Do You know the Muffin Man?

I LOVE the weekends! Spring has FINALLY sprung. The daffodils are blooming, the air is crisp and clean, the birds are chirping loudly and waking me up at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. Ugh. Spring soccer season is here and we have so much to do....but not before breakfast! Sometimes Saturdays are just meant for muffins.

Do you remember the muffin man song from when you were a kid? Here's a tidbit of info: The British rhyme was written around 1820. Drury Lane was actually the name of a street in London and it was associated with the theatre. Homes would have their muffins delivered on a door to door basis, hence the man bringing the muffins was known as the muffin man. However, the muffins were more closely related to the flat English muffins, not the American cupcake-like ones that we are used to.

Well, here is my special muffin mix! Enjoy!
Colley Avenue Muffins

1 Cup Flour
3/4 c. Bran Cereal
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. sugar
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. melted shortening
1 egg, well beaten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cereal, baking powder, sugar and salt and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, beat egg, add milk and melted shortening. Add egg mixture all at once to flour and stir only until flour is moistened and well combined. Do NOT over mix, your batter should not be smooth. And make sure you scrape the bowl. Fill the muffin pans half full of batter. Bake in a hot oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 1 dozen muffins!

Here are some ways to jazz up your basic muffin!
Jelly Muffins: In each muffin pan place 1/2 teaspoon of Jelly and cover with muffin batter, making pans one half full. The addition of the jelly or marmalade will make two or more additional muffins.

Fruit Muffins: Use the basic muffin recipe, adding 1 tablespoon additional shortening, 2 tablespoons sugar and 3/4 cups berries or chopped apples. Add fruit at the same time the liquid is added. The addition of the fruit will increase the number of muffins.

Oat Graham Streusel topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 sheets of graham crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut in pieces

Mix together the brown sugar, oats, grahams and cinnamon. Cut the butter in with a pastry knife. Spoon the mixture on top of the unbaked muffins. Then bake as directed.

Lemony Cream Cheese Topping (Great for Blueberry Muffins)

8 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft. Add the flour, lemon extract, egg and sugar and beat until the mixture becomes soft and smooth. Spoon the mixture over the top of the unbaked muffins.

The cream cheese topping will add a few minutes baking time to the muffins, so be sure to check the muffins for doneness. :)

We usually serve our muffins with fresh fruit and juice or coffee! YUM!