Easy Make Ahead Bran Muffins

You know that I love old cookbooks.   They don’t depend on prepackaged things, or microwaves…Just brilliant ideas, and lots of good ingredients.

Now, I don’t know how you feel about bran muffins.  Some people love them ad some hate them.  I love them.  At least these.  You can put raisins in them, or figs, or dried cranberries…toss in pecans, walnuts, macadamias, or a handful of hickory nuts if you are lucky enough to be able to get them.  Change the spices, add orange peel…seriously versatile breakfast food.

These are especially way cool.  Why? Because the batter will be perfect for FOUR WEEKS in your fridge.  That means that you can scoop the batter into the muffin cups, throw in the oven, go put your makeup on and come back to a healthy, and delicious breakfast, no matter what your schedule is.

When most people think of OAMC, or Once a month cooking,t hey think of freezer meals and dinners.  In our society I think breakfasts are as difficult to do as dinner. I mean, cold cereal and milk ?  Do anyone’s kids really eat just a 3/4 c serving size? Because mine do not.  It takes several bowls for them to feel like they have eaten and by nine or ten they are ready to eat again.

Not so with these muffins.  A couple of them nestled next to some fresh eggs, a dollop of lemon curd to enhance the flavor…well the kids are happy.

Please don’t forget about the contest I am running this month.  I mean, who would not want a cool Paris Sweets cookbook by Dorrie Greenspan?

All  Content on this page (c) Marye Audet 2008, for B5 media.  This page is published at http://bakingdelights.com    Baking Delights

Bran Muffins 

4 cups bran

2 c All Bran cereal

1 tsp salt

2 c boiling water

1 quart buttermilk1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/2 c brown sugar

1 c unsalted butter

4 eggs

5 c flour

5 tsp baking soda

Combine bran, cereal and salt.  Add buttermilk and water.  Allow to cool to lukewarm.

Cream sugars, and butter. Add eggs, one at a time.  Stir into bran.  Stir together (or sift) dry ingredients.      Add to bran mixture and stir to moisten.    Batter will keep,covered, in the fridge for FOUR weeks! I add the nuts and other optional ingredients when I bake the muffins, not to the original batter.

When ready to bake preheat oven to 375.  Scoop batter into silpat or paper lined muffin cups, sprinkle with raw sugar crystals if desired,  and bake for 20 minutes.

Makes a total of about 4 dozen