Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Before we moved to Costa Rica, I had a major baking day preparing for lots of company at my mother-in-law's house.  It was pure bliss, no kids at home, and a kitchen all to myself.  What more could this girl ask for.  I know I talk a lot about food, but what can I say, I love to cook (and eat it too).   I love to make new creations.  My kitchen in Costa Rica boasted these yummy muffins the first day I had a working oven.  They were delicious if I do say so myself.  I think they were even better because it had been so long since we had baked goodies.  Note before looking at picture:  I had not had anything sweet to eat in almost 3 weeks.  Please don't judge.  It was so delightfully good, and I don't normally say that about bought goods.   The kids were pretty excited too.  My husband was so sweet and treated me to a chocolate cake.  There is only one place in town where you can buy a real chocolate cake that is not frosted with caramel.  It is frosted with my favorite...canned chocolate frosting.

It was finger-licking good...as you can 

probably tell.

Hmmmmmm!!

He thought it was pretty good too,

but was wishing for some ice cream

to go with.

Anyways, I have recovered from not having sweets for so long and have probably been making too many.  Although, I am pretty sure all of my little house guests like the "galletas" that I always have on hand.  I lost count of how many cookies the kids ate the day they came over.  Myra said Sochi doesn't like anything to eat.  Well, she loves grilled cheese and snickerdoodle cookies : )

Here is the recipe for my Cinnamon Streusel Muffins that so many of you asked for when I made them.  I haven't had a chance until now to write it down.  This recipe makes 16 muffins, not anymore, not any less.  It is exactly, always, 16 muffins. 

MUFFINS

2/3 C shortening

1 C sugar (I know they are very very bad for you)

2 eggs

3 C flour

3 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

Sprinkling of nutmeg is optional (sometimes I do, sometimes I don't)

1 C milk

STREUSEL

1/2 stick butter (room temperature works best)

1/2 C white sugar

1/4 C brown sugar

2-3 tsp cinnamon

1 T water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease 16 cups for muffins.  In large bowl mix sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.  Make sure it is all mixed well.  Then cut in shortening with pastry blender.  When mixture resembles small peas (similar to cutting pie crust), make a well in center of bowl, dump eggs and milk in.  Mix just until it is all well combined.  Do not overmix or they will rise funky.  Set aside.

For Streusel mix the sugars and cinnamon, then pour the tablespoon of water in and toss around.  Then cut butter in with pastry blender, until you have a crumbly mixture.  Do not use margarine, it will not work.  Must use butter.  Maybe this is why I must walk everywhere.  I use lots of butter, well not as much as I used to in the states since it is $10 for only 8 sticks, and lots of sugar.

Spoon muffin mixture into muffin cups, just a 1/3 of the way filled.  Then spoon about a tablespoon of streusel mixture on top of the muffin mixture you just placed in cup.  Then spoon more muffin mixture on top to make the cup 2/3 way full.  I usually do all the bottom layer for all of them, then the streusel mixture, then the rest of the muffin mix.  Then when done filling cups, you top all of the muffins with more streusel topping. Use approximately another tablespoon for topping.  Don't try to use too much streusel for topping or you will make them fall and sink in the middle.  Been there and done that...just thought I was going to make them more yummy.  You will have some streusel left.  I put in Ziploc bag and place in freezer.  After making these several times you will have enough for another batch of muffins.  And this is always good topped on so many things.

The second muffin pan that only has 4 cups filled, I always fill the remaining cups with water halfway, so that the other 4 muffins will cook evenly just like the other dozen.  If you don't do this then the 4 muffins will cook faster and not evenly.  Bake them for 20-22 minutes.  Remove from oven, let stand in muffin cups for about 7 minutes, then carefully remove to wire racks to cool.  When they are completely cool I make frosting to drizzle on them (when I have company, if for us they are flying solo with no frosting).  I use powdered sugar, tad of water, and vanilla.  Mix until you get a consistency of toothpaste.  I can't tell you exact amounts, because I never measure.  Place frosting in Ziploc bag, barely snip corner of bag and begin drizzling.  These do freeze well.  Just remove from freezer the night before.  You are warned these are dangerous and have been approved by the following people: