Preheat oven to 400°F. With pastry brush, grease well twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin-pan cups.

In large bowl with fork, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In small bowl with fork, beat egg slightly, then stir milk and salad oil into beaten egg.

Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture and with spoon, stir just until flour is moistened. (Avoid overmixing which causes toughness; batter should be lumpy.)

Spoon batter into greased muffin-pan cups. Be sure to wipe pan clean of any spills.

Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes until they are well risen and golden and toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean and dry.

Immediately remove muffins from pan onto wire rack; serve at once, or keep warm by leaving in cups, slightly tipped to allow steam to escape.

ORANGE MUFFINS:

Prepare Muffins but use 1/4 cup sugar; use only 1/4 cup milk. Add 1/4 cup orange juice and 1 tbsp finely shredded orange peel to the egg mixture.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS:

Prepare Muffins but use 1/2 cup sugar and add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries with egg mixture.

WHOLE-WHEAT MUFFINS:

Prepare Muffins but use only 3/4 cup flour; add 1 cup whole-wheat flour. Increase sugar to 1/4 cup and baking powder to 4 teaspoons.