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Sift the dry ingredients together. Cream the butter and honey, or stir the honey into the oil. Beat in the egg and add the raisins and water. Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid, mixing enough to moisten. Fold in the nuts, if you want to use them. Spoon into the muffin tin.

Bake 10 to 14 minutes, or until the center springs back when pressed. If you use honey rather than molasses, and pastry flour ground from white wheat, the muffins will be quite pale.

ORANGE-APRICOT MUFFINS

Omit the cinnamon and substitute orange juice for the water. Use ½ cup chopped dried apricots instead of raisins—if they are hard, steam or soak them in hot water before chopping them. These muffins are very good without eggs and butter: use oil, and increase the orange juice by ¼ cup.

FRUIT JUICE MUFFINS

Omit milk powder and substitute any fairly sweet fruit juice for the water.

FRESH FRUIT MUFFINS

Fold ½ cup chopped fresh fruit into the basic batter. Vary the spices: with apples, use cinnamon; with peaches, nutmeg is just right; ginger complements pears very nicely. If the fruit is not very sweet, increase the honey by a tablespoon or so.

Best Bran Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups bran

3 tablespoons butter or oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar*

2 tablespoons molasses

1 egg

1 ½ cups buttermilk

This is a mighty fine recipe. We think it supplies everything you could want from a bran muffin. Make 12 of them, or try 6 muffins and a 3″ 7″ loaf. Or bake a few muffins and store the batter in the refrigerator for as long as ten days, using it as you need it. The tiny loaf makes a nice tea bread with a creamy tofu or cheese-and-fruit spread, or with nut butter.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease pan or pans.

Sift flour, soda, and salt together, and stir in the bran. Beat butter or oil and sugar and molasses together, and add egg and buttermilk. Mix dry ingredients into liquids. Place in the pan or pans you have prepared, filling muffin tins about three-quarters full. Bake muffins 15 to 20 minutes; the loaf about half an hour.

VARIATION If you like raisins or currants in your bran muffins, don’t be shy about stirring ½ cup of either into the batter.

Peanutty Corn Muffins

¾ cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup cornmeal

¼ cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon oil

¼ cup unsalted peanut butter (crunchy is best)

2 tablespoons honey

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 egg, slightly beaten

Tried and true, and a sure hit with the younger set.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

Sift flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, and stir in the cornmeal and peanuts. (You can skip the peanuts if you don’t have any handy, but they do add charm.)

Beat together oil, peanut butter, and honey. Add buttermilk and egg. Stir dry ingredients into wet, mixing until barely smooth. Spoon into muffin cups and, if you like, sprinkle more chopped peanuts on top. Bake in hot oven 12 to 15 minutes.

Cheese Muffins

2 tablespoons minced chives or onions

2 tablespoons butter or oil

1 egg

1 ¼ cups buttermilk

½ cup grated Swiss cheese and ¾ teaspoon dill weed or parsley OR

½ cup grated cheddar cheese and ½ teaspoon mustard

2 cups rolled oats

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

Use a good robust cheese in these or the flavor won’t come through. These are great favorites.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

If you use chives, they need not be cooked, but the onions are best when sautéed until soft in the butter or oil. Let the sautéed onion cool before adding to the batter.

Beat the egg, butter or oil, and onion or chives together. Stir in the buttermilk and seasoned cheese.

Blend the oats in blender to make about 1 ½ cups of floury meal—or use 1 cup oat flour and ½ cup rolled oat flakes. Sift the other dry ingredients together and then stir in the