Best of Bran Muffins

These are from my favorite cookbook ever - Jane Brody's Good Food Book

and these are my favorite muffins

INGREDIENTS

·       3 cups shredded bran cereal (e.g. All-Bran, 100% Bran, etc.)

·       1/2 cup vegetable oil

·       1 cup raisins

·       1 cup boiling water

·       2 eggs, lightly beaten

·       2 cups buttermilk (or milk plus a few TBS lemon juice)t

·       1/4 cup molasses

·       2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

·       4 teaspoons sugar

·       2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

(I leave out the raisins and add chocolate chips and nuts)

PREPARATION

1.     1. In a large bowl, combine the cereal, oil, and raisins, and pour the boiling water over them. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly. 2. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and molasses. Add this to the partly cooled cereal mixture. 3. In another small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the cereal mixture, stirring just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Cover the batter with plastic wrap, wax paper, or a damp towel, and let it stand for at least 15 minutes, preferably for 1 hour. 4. Preheat the oven to 400. Grease 24 muffin cups (I use liners), and divide the batter among them filling each cup about three-fourths full. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven, and, when they are slightly cooled, take them out of the tin and place them on a rack to cool completely.