Basic Muffins

2 cups flour, okay to use 1 cups white, 3/4 cup whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup wheat germ

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. sugar for sweet muffins, 1 tsp. sugar for savory

1 egg slightly beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 12 muffin cups. Mix dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients until just combined. Batter will not be smooth. Spoon into muffin cups and bake for 17-22 minutes.

Sweet additions: 1/2 cup dried fruit.

Savory additions: crumbled bacon or finely chopped ham and 1/3 cup cubed cheese. I also added a few additional spices like a touch of garlic powder, thyme, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Perfect served along side soup.

I've baked this recipe both savory and sweet now, both time with whole wheat flour/white flour combo. The muffins are fluffy, healthy, and have a nutty-buttery taste. This is a super easy and fast snack.

Spinach Aritchoke Dip

This recipe comes from allrecipes.com, with my modifications. Serve with french bread or tortilla chips.

INGREDIENTS:
· 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry
· 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
· 3 cloves garlic, minced
· 1/2 cup mayonnaise
· 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
· 1 cup sour cream
· 2 tablespoons lemon juice
· 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
· Extra parmesan cheese for the top
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 7x11 inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the artichoke hearts, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Season with garlic and lemon juice. Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish. Add extra cheese on top
3. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, and let the dish bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes, or until the surface is lightly browned and cheese is browned.