banana nut muffins

½ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 cups smashed bananas

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

½ cup water

 topping:

3 oz of melted bittersweet chocolate (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° degrees.  Prepare muffin tins with liners (makes 24 cupcakes).  Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and blend until barely mixed  Sift the dry ingredients and gradually add them to the shortening mixture.  Add bananas, vanilla, nuts and water as needed to create proper consistency (should be runny, that's what makes them moist).  Bake for 23 minutes.  The tops should be golden brown.  Let the cupcakes cool and if so desired top with the melted chocolate.  I prefer mine with sugared butter, so do whatever you want.

blueberry muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup and the vanilla. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Add coconut and walnuts if using.  Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

ezra pound cake peach streusel muffins

Makes large 12 muffins

Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel Topping:
• 1 1/2 CUPS COARSELY CHOPPED pecans
• 1/3 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1/3 CUP FIRMLY PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
• 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON
• 3 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED

Muffin Batter:
• 2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1 CUP SUGAR
• 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
• 2 TEASPOONS GROUND CINNAMON
• 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND ALLSPICE
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
• 3 LARGE EGGS
• 3 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED
• 1 1/2 CUPS SOUR CREAM
• 1 TABLESPOON DARK RUM OR PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 1/2 CUPS PEELED, PITTED, CHOPPED PEACHES

1. For the Topping: In a small bowl, combine the pecans, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the butter, and mix until well blended.

2. For the Muffins: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 large muffin cups with paper liners, and spray the top of the pan lightly with nonstick spray.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, from flour to salt, and set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, sour cream and rum or vanilla. Fold in the peaches.

5. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture. Stir until just moist and blended. Do not overmix.

6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan with a large ice cream scoop (1/3-cup scoop). The batter should come to the top of the paper liner or pan. Sprinkle with the Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel Topping, and lightly press the topping into the muffin batter.

7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes clean. Remove from the oven, and cool for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan, and serve immediately. 

pumpkin cream cheese streusel muffins

Makes 24

Filling
• 8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE, SOFTENED
• 1 CUP CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR
• 1 TABLESPOON VANILLA

Streusel: (i double it, i really love streusel)
• 1/2 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1/3 CUP SUGAR
• 1/4 CUP PECANS, CHOPPED FINELY
• 3 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED
• 1/2 TEASPOON CINNAMON

Pumpkin Batter: 
• 2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 2 CUPS SUGAR
• 2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
• 1/4 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
• 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
• 2 TEASPOONS CINNAMON
• 1/4 TEASPOON NUTMEG
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
• 1 1/4 CUPS SOLID-PACK PUMPKIN (OR 1 1/4 CUPS FRESH PUMPKIN PUREE, DRAINED)
• 3 EGGS, LIGHTLY BEATEN
• 1/3 CUP VEGETABLE OIL
• 1/2 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 12-cup standard muffin tins or use paper liners. Set aside.
2. For the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, and blend to combine. Form the mixture into a log on a piece of plastic wrap, wrap it, and freeze it for about an hour.
3. For the Pecan Streusel: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, pecans, butter, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. For the Pumpkin Batter: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl.
5. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the pumpkin, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
6. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the pumpkin mixture into the well. Mix with a fork just until moistened.
7. Remove the cream cheese from the freezer, and divide it into 24 slices.
8. Evenly divide half of the batter among the muffin cups. Place 1 slice of the cream cheese log right in the center of each cup, pressing the cream cheese gently into the batter without submerging it. Fill with the remaining batter.
9. Sprinkle some of the pecan streusel on top of each muffin.
10. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.