[anything you want them to be] Muffins

I've been asked for the recipe for "my apple muffins" or "my maple muffins" or "my breakfast muffins." Fact is, it's the same recipe, a "nothin' naughty" stroke of genius that works for just about anything. I'm tired of looking the original up and remembering all my little tweaks every time I bake it, too, so here 'tis:

• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla*
• 2 cups whole grain flour (I always do part whole wheat, part oat. I grind oats in my coffee grinder, much like the Ingalls ground wheat in The Long Winter, except they did it by hand and I do it by electricity.)
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed*
• 1/4 cup whole oats*
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts*
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon*
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg*

*Approximate measurements, which is better than saying "a handful" or "a generous shaking."

Mix dry ingredients. Separately, mix wet ingredients. Make a hollow in the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Stir only until blended. (Don't overstir!)

Makes about 2 dozen. Bake at 350 for 12-20 minutes (sorry, can't remember how long it takes).

These puppies are moist, aromatic, and incredibly delicious. I almost always make a streusel topping of oats, walnuts, cinnamon, and honey that I sprinkle on before baking. If I'm lazy (or out of oats) I drizzle honey on top and sprinkle it with cinnamon.

I've made these with apples, which is yummy. I've made breakfast muffins with carrots, apples, and dates. I've made blueberry ginger muffins that I served with a spiced honey butter. I've made them with 1/2 cup of honey instead of the maple syrup. I'm guessing you could do just about anything with this recipe. I want to try pumpkin, and a savory muffin with garlic and onion and celery and some kind of seed. This afternoon I'll be making blueberry pecan muffins.

Most muffins are tricksters. They call themselves muffins to fool you into purchasing them as a healthy alternative to cookies or doughnuts when they're actually loaded with bad-for-you ingredients. But not my muffins! And they're still packed with flavor. Try for yourself!