Quick and versatile, muffins can go from being a hearty and nutritious quick bread that can fill out a light meal of soup and/or salad, all the way to sweet and light — something just this side of a cupcake.

Most of the time, you can be as creative as you want if you are starting with a plain, basic recipe. Many will work quite well with the addition of fruit or nuts or even diced meats or shredded cheese. But if you’re stuck for ideas, or you just really love to make muffins, you can’t go wrong with a cookbook devoted entirely to the easiest of little quick breads. Camilla Saulsbury is a California food writer and recipe developer who has just published what has to be the definitive book on muffins: 750 Best Muffin Recipes: Everything from Breakfast Classics to Gluten-Free, Vegan & Coffeehouse Favorites (Robert Rose, $27.95). Honestly, if you have this one on the shelf, you won’t ever need to look for another muffin recipe source.

Muffins are not tricky to make, and any cook can turn out a nice batch to serve with a meal or as a snack. But just to be on the safe side, here are a few tips from 750 Best Muffins:

1. Preheat the oven.

2. Prepare the muffin pan. Line it with papers or grease it. Do this and preheat your oven first so that your mixed batter isn’t sitting on the counter.

3. Whisk the dry ingredients. This blends and distributes the ingredients evenly. I find it is a good idea to sift the baking soda and baking powder when called for — this prevents the nasty surprise of a salty-tasting lump.

4. Whisk the wet ingredients. Again, this helps to blend things thoroughly. If you whisk your dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, you will have much less stirring to do when you put them together.

5. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. See tip number 4. Stir as much as necessary and no more. Over-mixing will result in a poor texture.

6. Add any extra ingredients. When adding things like fruit and nuts etc., fold them in gently. Again, don’t overmix.

7. Fill the muffin pan. Spoon your batter in and place the pan on the middle rack of your preheated oven.

8. Bake and test for doneness. Testing for doneness can vary from recipe to recipe, so see what is indicated. And ovens are all different, so always keep an eye on a first effort.

9. Remove the muffins from the pan. Let things cool off a bit as indicated in your recipe. Then remove them to prevent sogginess.

Those are your basics. Now get out there and bake! Try these three recipes from Saulsbury’s 750 Best Muffin Recipes — you’ll find a sweet recipe, a savoury recipe and one that’s both sweet and savoury. You can find Saulsbury online at www.camillacooks.com where you can order books, follow her on Twitter and see her online videos.

Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F)

12-cup muffin pan, greased

60 mL (1/4 cup) packed light brown sugar, divided

1 can (287 mL / 10 ounces) pineapple slices, drained

Muffins

175 mL (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour

175 mL (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour

125 mL (1/2 cup) large-flake (old-fashioned) rolled oats

15 mL (1 tablespoon) ground cinnamon

10 mL (2 teaspoons) baking powder

2 mL (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda

2 mL (1/2 teaspoon) salt

125 mL (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

60 mL (1/4 cup) vegetable oil

30 mL (2 tablespoons) unsweetened orange juice

5 mL (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

1 can (227 mL/ 8 ounces) crushed pineapple with juice

250 mL (1 cup) shredded carrots

175 mL (3/4 cup) raisins

1. Topping: Sprinkle 5 mL (1 teaspoon) brown sugar into each prepared muffin cup. Stack pineapple slices and cut into 3 wedges. Place 2 wedges in each muffin cup. Set aside.

2. Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and eggs until well blended. Whisk in oil, orange juice and vanilla until blended. Stir in crushed pineapple.

4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in carrots and raisins.

5. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 23 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

7. Immediately run a knife around edges of cups and turn muffins out onto a baking sheet. Reposition any stray pineapple pieces. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve upside down, either warm or at room temperature.

Top down is the way to go for these cinnamon-spiced muffins, loaded with carrots and raisins.