Streusel Muffuns

When Stud and I were freshmen at Wake Forest, my parents were amazing when it came to care packages.  I think I got one a week and most of the time, they involved baked goods for that little taste of home.  And like all college freshmen, I had a white board on my door for people to leave message while I was out.  So hip.  Well one school night, rather late I might add, my peaceful slumber is interrupted by intense knocking and barely suppressed giggles.  I attempt to ignore it.  But it persists.  So I drag myself down from the top bunk and crack the door just enough so glare at the rather intoxicated Stud that was at my door.  Now at this time, Stud and I were merely fellow freshmen, I had no idea we would one day be married, so I had no obligation to be nice to him.  He has come begging for some home baked goodies from my latest care package, a batch of blueberry muffins.  I - being freshly awoken and very stingy with my baked goods - said no and sent him on his way.  Right after I close the door, I hear fresh giggles and the distinct tapping of someone writing a message on my board.  So I wait until I hear him stumbling back down the hall, open my door and read the lovely message he had left me: "Alex is mean and won't share her muffuns."  Of course I left his message on my board for days and he has never lived it down.  So, over the weekend, I made a delicious batch of Streusel Muffuns - an Ina Garten recipe.  Hers calls for blueberries, but I didn't have any, so mine were plain....and delicious!

Streusel Muffins

3 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

4 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. kosher salt

2 c. buttermilk, shaken

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/2 t. lemon zest

2 eggs

(if you want to add blueberries - 2 c. fresh blueberries)

For the topping:

3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. light brown sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. kosher salt

4 T. cold unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 375.  If you want, line a muffin tin with papers - I prefer muffins without papers since I like the bottom part to get a nice crust.  But it makes the cleanup much easier to use papers.  Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, and eggs.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and combine just until blended.  If you are using blueberries, fold them in at this time.  Fill each muffin cup until it is almost full.

For the topping, place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it's in small pieces.  Spoon about 1 T on the top of each muffin.  Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, makes 20 muffins.  And then eat fresh out of the oven.  Not many things are better than a fresh muffin.

Note - if you do not have buttermilk (as I did not), you can substitute by using 1 T. of white vinegar and 1 c. of milk.  Combine and let sit for a few minutes and then use as the buttermilk.  I halved this recipe so I only needed one cup, double if you are making the full recipe.  And I could not tell a difference in the final product!  These muffins are pretty easy and a nice warm breakfast on a cold weekend morning.  And a good snack later that day.