Six Week Muffins

This one is a quickie. I'm visiting my in-laws and as soon as my mother-in-law finishes reading my daughter her bedtime stories we have a date with a glass of wine and Dancing with the Stars. Tomorrow, we will spend the day preparing for Thanksgiving, but tonight we are couch potatoes. So, I've got 15 minutes here. How about some muffins?

I usually make these 6 week muffins a couple of times a year. The batter keeps for up to 6 weeks in the fridge (hence the name), so I bake a half dozen or dozen at a time and then throw them into the cookie jar or a cupcake keeper. When I run out, I just scoop more batter into my muffin tins and tah-dah ... fresh baked muffins in 15 minutes! They're perfect to grab on the way out the door to work or school for a healthy breakfast. They're full of bran and flaxseed, so they keep you feeling full (um, and regular). They may be healthy, but they taste good too. I like to warm mine up in the microwave while my kids put on their shoes in the morning and then I sit nibbling it in the pre-school drop off line between sips of strong, hot coffee.

You begin by beating the eggs and sugar.



Then you stir in all of the other ingredients until combined.



It looks like this when you're finished stirring. This may be the most unappetizing picture I've ever posted. The batter isn't exactly pretty to begin with, but the color is strange here too. Hmmm. Weird. Well anyway, after you finish stirring everything together you should cover it and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before you bake any muffins. I'm guessing it's to let the wet ingredients soak into the bran flakes.



Okay, so pretend that 6 hours have passed by (I have a 5 year old, I get a lot of "just pretend" scenarios at my house)...

Alright, now we're ready. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way full and bake these puppies at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. If you're awake just 25 minutes before the rest of your family in the morning, try this: Heat the oven while you start your pot o' coffee. Fill the muffin cups and pop them into the oven after you pour your first cup of coffee. Now run and jump into the shower, dry off, throw on your robe, and run back to the kitchen. Next, pull the muffins out of the oven as your hair air-dries and your family shuffles into the kitchen in their pajamas, still rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Before they snap out of their groggy state and actually look at you, put on your best June Cleaver smile, happy "Good morning voice" (and pearls if you've got em'). Now, serve the warm muffins with a pat of butter melting on the inside and a cold cup of OJ. That's how it's done. Domestic goddess. Welcome to my world. LOL. As if.



Last week, I put the muffins pictured here into the oven as I was getting ready for the day. Then I took them, still warm, to my Monday morning parenting group. See, despite all of the bran and flaxseed they still taste good enough to share with friends.



Six Week Bran Muffins
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
6 cups Raisin Bran cereal
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup flaxseed
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 quart lowfat buttermilk

Beat eggs and sugar until combined. Stir dry ingredients together. Add to eggs and sugar. Pour in oil and buttermilk. Stir until combined. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before baking. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

*Batter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks

Yield: 5-6 dozen muffins

Coming soon: What to do with all of that leftover turkey!?