Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Hot and fresh right out of the oven.

  This blueberry muffin recipe has been with me since 1983. I worked for a wonderful couple that were great friends of our family, Bill and Christine Chaney. Ms. Chris was old school...which I think is kind of great. There were several standing facts I knew to be true about this woman. She LOVED the Lord. She LOVED Mr. Bill and her family. She LOVED that business. And at 9 am every Saturday morning Ms. Chris was gettin' her hair "done" at the "beauty parlor".  Meaning only one thing...she would be late and she would be packing a box of her Blueberry Muffins.
  To be sure, Ms. Chris was a lover of recipes. She loved to pour over magazines looking for new recipes, she talked about recipes, she asked others for recipes when she ate something she really liked. In general she was looking for that next inspired recipe. She was and still is an amazing cook and friend....thanks for the INSPIRATION Ms. Chris!
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
11/2 cup all-purpose flour
  1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries*
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl; set aside. Combine the egg, oil and milk, mixing well. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fold in Blueberries. Line your muffin tin with paper cups and fill about 3/4 full with batter. I use an ice cream scoop, it's just easier and you are assured that all of your muffins will come out about the same size. I also add just a few extra berries on top of my muffins before putting them in the oven, it makes for a pretty muffin...if you are into that sort of thing. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.  Serve HOT out of the oven!


 Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

 For a slightly different twist, and because I am KaRAZY about lemons, I usually make a simple lemon sauce to brush on my muffins while they are hot. If you want to give it a go here it is: To a small saucepan add the juice and zest of one large or two small lemons, 1/4 cup cream OR, not both, 3/4 stick of unsalted butter and sugar to taste....I would say about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup depending on how tart your lemon is and if you like things more sweet than tart. I'm tart...less sugar. Bring it to a boil, turn down your heat and only cook long enough for the sugar to dissolve. It only takes a minute. When my muffins come out of the oven, I immediately remove them from the muffin tin and onto a cooling rack. While muffins are hot brush with the Lemon Sauce, letting it soak into the muffins.  YUM! * I use Dole Frozen Blueberries during the winter months, they are great.