Once you become a mix-master of muffins that are shapely, with a fine crumb and the right balance of basic ingredients, your journey into fun flavoring begins. The versatility of a well-balanced muffin batter can provide a vehicle for dozens of different flavor and texture additions; blueberries and bananas are just the beginning. You may need to make minor adjustments for moister additions (pumpkin or persimmon) and drier variations (wheat or oat bran). I’ve used plenty of things in muffins that would have gone to waste -- stale, chopped brownies taste moist and fresh again once that are baked in a muffin. I made a pineapple cashew muffin because I needed to use up an open, industrial-sized can of pineapple before it started fermenting. Use your pantry, your refrigerator and spice rack, and be creative.
One very useful and important thing to remember is that any muffin recipe can be made into a loaf of quick bread, and any quick bread mix can be scooped into muffin tins. Muffins are a popular breakfast tradition, but the utility of quick breads extends past breakfast, into lunchtime and afternoon snacks. And quick breads, if left unsliced, will stay fresh longer than muffins.
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