Blueberry Muffins make the morning!

There is nothing that makes the morning quite like a just-from-the-oven blueberry muffin which is heavy on the blueberries!  This is a family favorite - a recipe that is easy to make and completely satisfies.  Make extra so that you can share them or freeze them for those mornings you are craving this joy but are short on time. 

What you need:
8 Tablespoons butter, semi-soft
1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup sugar set aside
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking POWDER
2 scant cups flour and 1/4 cup flour set aside
1/2 cup milk (I prefer whole)
1+ teaspoon vanilla
1+ pint blueberries (fresh or frozen*)

* if you are using frozen berries, leave them frozen until the last minute.  Thawed berries are soggy and add too much liquid to the muffins.

Preparing your berries:
Pour the set-aside 1/4 cup of flour over the blueberries - after you have checked them for stems and prepared them for baking.  HINT: mixing the berries, or any other filling item, in flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin.  The flour suspends the berries in the mix.

Putting it together:
Cream together the butter, sugar (leave the set-aside amount alone) and salt until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time. Pour the vanilla into the milk. Alternate adding the liquids with the remaining dry ingredients.  All of this can be done with a mixer but this next part needs to be done by hand!  Gently fold in the flour-covered berries.  It's okay if some break but the goal is to keep this minimal.

I bake my muffins in paper liners so they can be frozen easily.  Prepare your 12 cup muffin pan to suit your preferences.  The batter should fill each cup to the lip or just over.  I use my flatwear gravy ladle filled full for easier measuring. 

Before you bake your muffins in a 375 degree preheated oven, use the set-aside sugar to sprinkle over the top of the batter.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean of batter.