Blueberry Muffins

While apple pie is pretty much as all-American as you can get, it's not really seasonal for the Fourth of July.  To me, a close second for sheer patriotic goodness is the blueberry muffin: Where else in the world is eating what is basically a cupcake for breakfast considered the norm?  God bless this country.

Seriously, I made four batches of these muffins over the weekend and my family ate them ALL.  Addictive yet so simple.  Sometimes, as my friend Kirsten says, you just can't improve on the simple standard: You could add lemon peel or orange essence, but it won't make these any better, just different. So here's the classic recipe:

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups flour (you could substitute up to 3/4 cups with whole wheat flour for a healthier option)

1/2 cup sugar

4 tbsp. melted butter

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 pint of fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease a muffin pan or line the cups with cupcake papers (my preference).

Thoroughly wash the pint of blueberries in a colander, removing any stems, then draining thoroughly.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, and salt.

Add in the egg and the milk, mixing until just combined.  As with most baking, the less you stir, the lighter your final product.

Gently stir in the blueberries, being careful not to smash them.

Using two spoons, apportion the batter into twelve muffin cups.  The batter should reach almost to the top of the cup.

Bake for 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.  The tops should be a golden brown.

Sealed tightly after they cool, they'll keep for two to three days, but good luck not eating them before then.  It's the simple things, folks.

Happy eating!