Olive Oil Muffins

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup semolina () or 1/2 cup cornmeal ()
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup marsala wine
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Recipe

• 1 position rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 400°.
• 2 spray muffin tin indentations and rims with nonstick cooking spray.
• 3 in a bowl, whisk flour, semolina, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until uniform; set aside.
• 4 in another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and marsala until smooth; whisk in the olive oil and lemon zest; stir into the prepared flour mixture using a wooden spoon until moistened.
• 5 fill the prepared muffin tins ¾ full; bake 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned with rounded, lightly cracked tops; a pick should come out with a few moist crumbs attached.
• 6 place pan on a wire rack; cool for 10 minutes; gently rock each muffin back and forth to release and remove it from the tin.
• 7 cool muffins 5 minutes on the rack before serving.
• 8 *herbed goat cheese olive oil muffins: crumble ½ cup herbed goat cheese into the batter just before adding the prepared flour mixture; proceed as directed.
• 9 *olive rosemary muffins: mix ½ cup chopped pitted green or black olives and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary into the batter just before adding the prepared flour mixture; proceed as directed.
• 10 *pesto muffins: mix ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil, 1 clove minced fresh garlic, and 2 tablespoons chopped pine nuts into the batter just before adding the prepared flour mixture; proceed as directed.
• 11 *sun-dried tomato olive oil muffins: mix 1/3 cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped, into the batter just before adding the prepared flour mixture; proceed as directed.