As I Promised

I didn't get a chance to post over the weekend but I wanted to say that the muffins turned out delicious.  They are pretty healthy and make a great breakfast.

I love to put them in the skillet with a little butter and they get all warm and toasty.

Peanut butter on half-delicious.

Cliff liked them but felt like they were a little bland.  The next day we had them again with cheesy eggs on the side and he said he really liked them with eggs!  So I will be making them again...they are great to make the day ahead if you need ideas for a quick breakfast:)  I got this recipe from my friend Amber:

Baked Apple Bran Muffins

 Ingredients:

1 ½ cups wheat bran

1 cup buttermilk (can use 1 cup milk mixed with 1 Tbsp. vinegar as a substitute)

1/3 cup vegetable oil (or substitute apple sauce for the same amount-have had them both ways and both are good)

1 egg

2/3 cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup raisins (or 1 baked large apple-directions below)

Directions for baked apple:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place foil on baking sheet.  Dice apple and toss in a little butter (about 1 Tbsp.).  Place apples on foil lined baking sheet, sprinkle with a little cinnamon (not the teaspoon), and bake for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Directions for bran muffins:

1.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

2.       Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.

3.       Beat together oil, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture, until just blended. Fold in previously baked apples (other options – raisins, nuts, granola, various fruits, etc) and spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.

4.       Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!

Side notes – If you use an oversized muffin pan and it makes 6 muffins (approximately 1/3 cup of batter in each one). Also, sometimes it takes 20-25 minutes to bake.

*you can store these at room temperature for 3-4 days (place in fridge if you are keeping them longer than that.