Tabula Rasa (Blank Slate) Muffins

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine (*SEE NOTE)
• 1/2-3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg (**SEE NOTE) (optional)
• 1/2 cup milk or soymilk, plus
• 2 tablespoons milk or soymilk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure extract (i.e. vanilla, almond, rum, etc.)
• 2 cups chopped fruit or nuts or chocolate chips, etc (***SEE SUGGESTED COMBINATIONS)
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. 2

   Prepare 12 standard or 6 jumbo mufffin cups by lightly greasing or with paper liners.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon or other spice if using; mix well.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, then milk, then extract; mixture will be slightly lumpy.

5. 5

   Fold in 2 cups of the fruit/nut/chip combination of your choice with a rubber spatula.

6. 6

   Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, being careful not to overmix.

7. 7

   Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake 30-35 minute, turning pan after about 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.

8. 8

   Cool muffins in tins for about 15 minutes before removing to cool completely (they fall apart if you try to remove them while they're still hot!).

9. 9

   Eat warm or cool completely then store in an airtight container. They can also be frozen up to 3 months -- but I can't imagine why they'd last that long:)!

10. 10

    *NOTE: I have subbed up to 3T applesauce or mashed bananas successfully.

11. 11

    **NOTE: I have gotten better results using vegan egg replacer than ommitting egg entirely, but really both are fine.

12. 12

    ***SUGGESTED COMBINATIONS(equaling 2 cups): peach blueberry; mango and banana with rum extract; raspberry ginger; strawberry banana; blackberry nectarine; cherry, white-chocolate chips and almonds with almond extract; pear, ginger and semi-sweet chocolate chips -- the possibilities are endless, these are just the combos I've tried.