Cream Cheese Muffins

It's been snowing since dawn here. Everything is covered in a nice white blanket. The kids are off from school, John & I have the day off too, so we are all snug and warm in the house. What's better on a snowy morning than warm muffins? I had this recipe in my ever growing "to try" pile. It wasn't until I had these made and in the oven that I remembered John doesn't like cream cheese. Oh well, the neighbors will be happy.

Cream Cheese Muffins

3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

Cream cheese mixture

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

Topping

1/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 butter, softened

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375. Grease/spray a 12 cup muffin tin and set aside. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

Stir together milk, oil and eggs and pour into the well of dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened.

Combine the cream cheese and the sugar and fold about half of this into the muffin batter.

Spoon the batter into a greased muffin pan, about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Spoon the remaining cream cheese mixture onto the muffins (about a teaspoon full) and press it into the mixture with the spoon handle. It won't sink into the batter, but try to press it down into it a bit.

Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle generously over muffins. Bake 24 - 30 minutes or until golden brown.