Create a Muffin from Tightwad Gazette

[redmaples]

Has anyone used Amy's formula from Tightwad Gazette to create muffin recipes? I'm going to try it today.
It's a really good idea because you can use what you have.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tightwad-Gazette-Amy-Dacyczyn/dp/0375752250/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275849849&sr=8-1-catcorr"]Amazon.com: The Complete Tightwad Gazette (9780375752254): Amy Dacyczyn: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UL1XfIloL.@@AMEPARAM@@51UL1XfIloL[/ame]

[3-boys-4-me]

You ladies are killin' me with these posts about the Tightwad Gazette. I ordered it a couple of days ago and I am dying to get it.

[Michelle-Lea]

I use her method ALL the time. It makes no-brainer, delicious muffins!

[lacyj]

Could someone post it, I have a half can of blueberry pie filling that I need to use for something...maybe it will work

[redmaples]

Lacyj, I pm'd you.

[miss_thrifty]

yepper, use it all the time.
i make breakfast sausage muffins, cook the sauge without the skin, cut all up, then put in carrots all tiny shredded in it, with cinnamon, oatmeal, flour, egg, baking powder, milk, etc. my kids love them

[celina]

hey miss thrifty could you give me a more precise recipe, that sounds yummy..

[Daisygirl]

I used the universal muffin recipe for the first time the other day -- only problem was I forgot to add the fat. It was still delicious, if a wee bit dry, but the daycare kids just loved it. I made oatmeal applesauce craisin muffins.

[redmaples]

Thanks for all the feedback & good recipe ideas!
I still haven't tried it, but did create a recipe.

[miss_thrifty]

Celina, i usually just throw in a bunch of things, now lets see i use thae recepie from tWG but but in for extras-7 de-skinned and cook them , cut them all up really small and then add that and about 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, and 1 large carrot peeled and shredded up using the cheese shredded side of the grater. The oatmeal is usually 3/4 and the the rest flour. U can do 1/2 oatmeal, and 1/2 flour, whatever u prefer.
Mix all ingriedents together, and I use powdered milk(cheaper) instead of regular homo. milk. Less fat.
if u still have questions, ask away, Im like my grammy sometimes, chuck in and see what u get lol

[foxxyroxie]

I haven't been on here for a while, so I don't have the recipe.....could someone post it for me?

[kittykatstrong]

Create a Breakfast Muffin
Source: The Tightwad Gazette II book by Amy Dacyczyn; Villard Books, New York, 1995

Learn to create your own muffins. This recipe will make 12 muffins. Save energy and time by making a double batch and freeze the extra muffins. Each muffin will ultimately cost you about 4 cents each to make.

To make muffins, combine dry ingredients, and then mix in wet ingredients until just combined; the batter should be lumpy. Grease muffin tin and fill cups two thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15-25 minutes.

The following ingredients are required:

Grain:
Use 2 to 2 1/2 cups of white flour. Or substitute oatmeal, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, rye flour, or flake cereal for 1 cup of the white flour. Or substitute 1 cup leftover cooked oatmeal, rice, or cornmeal for 1/2 cup of the white flour and decrease liquid to 1/2 cup.

Milk:
Use 1 cup or substitute buttermilk. Or sour milk (add a tbsp. of vinegar to 1 cup milk). Or substitute fruit juice for part or all of the milk.

Fat:
Use 1/4 cup vegetable oil or 4 tbsp. melted butter or margarine. Or substitute crunchy or regular peanut butter for part or all of the fat. The fat can be reduced or omitted with fair results if using a "wet addition."

Egg:
Use 1 egg. Or substitute 1 heaping tbsp. of soy flour and 1 tbsp. of water. If using a cooked grain, separate the egg, add the yolk to the batter, beat the white until stiff, and fold into the batter.

Sweetener:
Use between 2 tbsp. and 1/2 cup sugar. Or substitute up to 3/4 cup brown sugar. Or substitute up to 1/2 cup honey or molasses, and decrease milk to 3/4 cup.

Baking Powder:
Use 2 tsp. If using whole or cooked grains or more than 1 cup of additions, increase to 3 tsp. If using buttermilk or sour milk, decrease to 1 tsp. and add 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Salt:
Use 1/2 tsp., or omit if you have a salt-restricted diet.

****
The following ingredients are optional. Additions can be used in any combination, up to 1 1/2 cups total. If using more than 1 cup of wet additions, decrease the milk to 1/2 cup:

Dry Additions:
Nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, coconut, and so on.

Moist Additions:
Blueberries, chopped apple, freshly shredded zucchini, shredded carrot, and so on.

Wet Additions:
Pumpkin puree; applesauce; mashed, cooked sweet potato; mashed banana; mashed, cooked carrot, and so on. If using 1/2 cup drained, canned fruit or thawed shredded zucchini, substitute the syrup or zucchini liquid for all or part of the milk.

Spices:
Use spices that complement the additions, such as 1 tsp. cinnamon with 1/4 tsp nutmeg or cloves. Try 2 tsp. grated orange or lemon peel.

Jellies and Jam:
Fill cups half full with a plain batter. Add 1 tsp. jam or jelly and top with 2 more tbsp. batter.

Topping:
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the batter in the tins.

Non-sweet Combinations: Use only 2 tbsp. sugar and no fruit. Add combinations of the following: 1/2 cup shredded cheese, 3 strips fried and crumbled bacon, 2 tbsp. grated onion, 1/2 cup shredded zucchini, 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese. Spices could include a tsp. of parsley and a pinch of marjoram.

**********************
Once you learn the basic combinations, here is your recipe:

2 to 2 1/2 cups grain
1 cup milk
Up to 1/4 cup fat
1 egg
Up to 1/2 cup sweetener
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Up to 1 1/2 cups additions