RAISIN BRAN MULTI-GRAIN MUFFINS

My friend Betty recently asked me if I had a recipe for a breakfast bran muffin.  I told her I had several and I would retry them to see which one I liked the best.  The recipe I am sharing today is the first one I tried and my husband and I really liked it.  I cut one in half for us to share after letting them cool a little bit, and the next thing I knew he was getting a whole one.  They are that good.

The original recipe came from a cookbook I have had since 1978 called Good Home Cookin'.  That's enough to sell you right there, isn't it?  Anyway the cookbook was one of those compiled by a group of women from Central Arkansas.  I love those kind of cookbooks.  I have a whole bunch of them.  Anyway the recipe was called "Six-week muffins".  According to the instructions, the mix would keep for 6 weeks in the refrigerator.  I remember making these "back then" but don't think they lasted long enough for me to see if they actually would keep for six weeks.  Now, I don't think I would be brave enough to try it.

So, when Betty wrote me on Facebook and asked me if I had a recipe for a breakfast bran muffin, this cookbook was one of the first I opened.  I worked with the recipe, made one or two changes but mainly got it down to a 12-muffin size recipe.  I also changed the name of the recipe to fit my changes.

RAISIN BRAN MULTI-GRAIN MUFFINS

2   cups Raisin Bran Cereal

1/2  cup sugar

3/4   cup all-purpose flour

1/2   cup whole wheat pastry flour

1  1/4  tsp baking soda

1/2   tsp salt

1   egg

1   cup buttermilk

1/4   cup no-sugar added applesauce

1/2   tsp cinnamon

      Preheat oven to 400 degress F.

      Sift flours, soda, and salt into a large bowl.  (Can also mix with a whisk).  Add Raisin Bran cereal and sugar.  Break up the cereal a little with the whisk.  

     Mix the egg, buttermilk, and applesauce together in a separate bowl.  

     Add the egg mixture to the cereal mixture.  Mix well.

     Spray a 12- cup muffin tin with cooking oil.  Fill muffin cup 2/3 full.

     Bake for 12 minutes.   Check a center muffin with a toothpick for doneness.

    

    Cool on rack for 10 minutes before removing muffins to finish cooling on rack.

     Can freeze leftovers for later use.  Place muffins on flat dish without touching in freezer for 30 minutes.  Then remove and place in a freezer bag.  To use later, heat in microwave for about 15 seconds.  No need to thaw.

TIP ALERT!

(I used Great Value Raisin Bran.  They also had one with extra raisin.  If you like more raisins in your baked goods, get it.  It was the same price.  You probably know that you don't have to make them multi-grain if you don't want to.  Just use 1  1/4 cups all-purpose flour.  Also if you don't have buttermilk, put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a measuring cup and add milk to make 1 cup.  Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.)

I have another healthier bran muffin recipe I want to try, but it calls for oat bran and I haven't had a chance to go to a different grocery store to get some.  Our closest Wal-Mart didn't have any.  When I get it and make them,  I will let you know how they taste.  I am sure they are going to be really good too, because the recipe is one from a friend in Ventura who was a home economist.  She is the first person to introduce me to substituting applesauce for oil in recipes.  Thanks, Marilyn.