1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup milk

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt. Stir into creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir only enough to dampen flour. Over mixing will cause the muffins to not rise. Gently fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full. You can either bake at this point or sprinkle Streusel Topping* over each muffin. (*see separate recipe) Place in cold oven and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes 12 muffins.

*Streusel Topping (optional, if you want sweet muffins) Nicole Miles
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

In small bowl combine sugar and flour using a pastry blender or forks. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Sprinkle over bread, muffins, or rolls before baking. Variation: I’ve also added 1 package of flavored instant oatmeal to the flour mixture. The fruit-flavored ones are my favorite.