Lemon Sugar Blueberry Muffins

This recipe is from my mother. I don't know where she got it from, but I do remember eating these sweet treats occasionally and wishing every muffin was this way. I got up early last Wednesday to make these for an eager PBL group, who received them with gusto. Quick and easy, these make a regular breakfast into an occasion.

Note: The recipe as given makes 18 muffins, I 1 1/2 the recipe for 24 muffins, I find that this make a slightly bigger (and more satisfactory) muffin with a rounder top for sugaring.

Ingredients:

Muffins:
2 2/3 C flour
1 T baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ C sugar
2 eggs

1 C milk

2/3 C cooking oil
1 ½ blueberries
½ T lemon zest (or 1 tsp lemon flavoring)

Topping:
4 T butter
½ sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Wash and drain blueberries. Pat dry in a paper towel or dish towel.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in one mixing bowl.

3. Beat eggs slightly. Add milk, eggs, and oil to flour mixture and mix just barely enough to combine. Do NOT over mix! (Muffins will be tough.)

4. Add blueberries and mix only very slightly to avoid crushing blueberries. Immediately put into greased muffin tins. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes.

5. Allow muffins to cool five minutes. Melt butter. When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the tops first in melted butter and then into the sugar. Serve warm.