Baking Basic Muffins

The last few days on Long Island, we have gotten our first taste of really cold weather.  So I decided to bake some "Basic Muffins" to go with tea and jam.

The first ingredient was four (4) cups of unbleached flour.   I sifted it too.

The next ingredient was 1/2 cup granulated sugar.

 After that I added two (2) tablespoons of baking powder,

 one (1) teaspoon of salt,

two (2) cups of milk

 2/3 cup vegetable oil

 and two(2) eggs.

 I mixed up the batter,

 then I whisked it a bit to reduce some of the lumps, but not all of them.

 I greased the 12 cup muffin pan with vegetable oil and a brush,

 then I poured the batter into the cups 2/3 full.

The batter also filled my six (6) cup pan which makes a larger muffin.

The oven was pre-heated to 400 degrees F.

 I put the two pans in to bake.

 This recipe came from a book by Dimetra Makris, from 1987.  Since I volunteer at a community thrift shop several days a week, I look out for older cookbooks because they have time tested recipes and a more "back to basics" approach.

 When the muffins are brown around the edges they are done, 20-25 minutes.

 As a tea drinker, and a thrift shop volunteer, I have a collection of English bone china teacups and small singleton serving plates.  Since It is January I used this pattern  with the snowdrops.

 This special cup and saucer is made in England by the Royal Albert company, and is part of a series of monthly patterns.

 The small plate that I served the muffin on has a lovely transfer print.

This is the mark on the reverse side.

A little jam and a cup of tea can't be topped on a cold January day.

The remaining muffins are stored in plastic bags and put in the freezer since I use one or two at a time.  It's like having money in the bank! 

Basic Muffins

(I doubled this recipe)

2 cups unbleached flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/3 cup melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil

1 egg