Bran Cereal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Fiber One original cereal
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed tightly)
• 1 1/4 cups King Arther® Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees


Directions:

Spray your muffin tins with Pam® Baking Spray or grease them and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl (or your stand mixer), pour boiling water over cereal, stir thoroughly until all the water is absorbed, and let stand.

Mix together the milk and lemon juice, stir thoroughly, and let stand for 10 minutes.  Alternatively, you could use two cups of buttermilk and skip the lemon juice.

While waiting, measure out the spices into a small bowl.  Mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda into a medium bowl.  Gather the brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla paste, and dried cranberries on the counter.

When the cereal has cooled and the sour milk is ready, add the sugar, eggs, applesauce, and milk and stir.  Next add the spices and vanilla paste and stir.  Then slowly add the flour mixture until all is incorporated.  Finally, add the dried cranberries and stir until they are thoroughly mixed into the batter.

Spoon into prepared muffin tins, filling to just below the top.  Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.


Myrtle's Note:  I wanted a bran cereal muffin recipe, but had to do some tweaking when I found one that started with Fiber One cereal.  I changed the type of milk and sugar and flour, I dropped the egg substitute for real eggs, I added spices and flavoring, and I added dried cranberries.  I botched the cooking time, so the first batch and the second look different.  You can see the ones on the left have a higher muffin top, as they were cooked at the right temperature (400 degrees).  I thought that the muffins turned out fantastic ... if you like bran muffins.  By the way, it will not hurt my feelings if you swap out the dried cranberries for raisons.  I know that is more traditional.  I just prefer dried cranberries, and I am the one eating these!


Yield: 27 muffins

Adapted from:  http://www.food.com/recipe/absolutely-delicious-bran-muffins-60141?ftab=tweaks

Bob's Red Mill Favorite Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups unbleached white all-purpose flour
• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Redmond's Real Salt®
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1/8 cup Molasses
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 2 small eggs or 1 large egg and 1 large yolk, lightly-beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
• 1 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill® Wheat Bran
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill® Wheat Germ
• 1 cup diced apples

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Directions:
Either line the muffin tin or grease lightly and set aside.

Using a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and blend with a wire whisk to combine well. 

In another large bowl whisk together the butter, oil, honey, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla extract, maple extract and eggs. Mix well. Whisk in buttermilk, wheat germ, and wheat bran. Let this batter sit for 15 minutes. 

Add the apples to the wet ingredients and then add to the dry ingredients; blend until just mixed. For round top, fluffy muffins, allow to side for 15 minutes.  [This batter can be covered and refrigerated overnight, if desired.] 

Fill the tins 3/4 full and bake for about 15-16 minutes until golden brown on top.

Myrtle's Note:  For the second time, I got stuck with a recipe with a yield that was recorded wrong.  Follow the original recipe and you will have 36 muffins!  So, this is cut in half, however I kept the apple amount the same and, of course, I skipped the walnuts.  For dividing the eggs in half, as noted, I found several recommendations to either use two small eggs or to use one large egg and one large yolk.  Since I had to bake three tins the first time, I discovered that the longer the batter sat the more foamy it got.  The last set of muffins were quite high and fluffy.  So, I incorporated some wait time into the recipe.


Yield:  18 muffins

Source:  http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/favorite-bran-muffins-with-apples-and-walnuts/

Blueberry Lime Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats 
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Directions:

Grease a muffin pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream and oats so that the latter will soften.  Beat the eggs and set aside.  Zest a table spoon of lime and set aside.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.

Add the butter, oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla extract. and lime zest into the sour cream and oat mixture until thoroughly mixed.  Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient and mix until the batter just comes together. You don’t want to over work the batter as this will affect the muffin’s rising in the oven so it’s okay if it’s lumpy. Gently stir in the blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw them first).

Divide the batter into the muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top and when a knife inserted into the muffin comes out clean.  Best when served warm.


Myrtle's Note:  I didn't feel like cleaning an extra pot, so I just used really softened butter.  The only changes I made to the recipe was to rework the directions a bit to remind myself how to make them next time.  They are not sweet at all, but full of oat flavor.  I think they would be great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.


Yield:  12 muffins

Source:  http://www.homesicktexan.com/2012/08/blueberry-lime-oatmeal-muffins.html

Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup of minced fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions:

Grease a muffin tin and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix in egg, milk, butter, almond extract.  Hand mixing is fine.

Slice and then mince into small pieces enough strawberries to fill one cup.  Fold into the batter.  Fill the tins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with butter while warm.

Myrtle's Note:  I had enormous muffins, because I kept trying to get all the batter into 12 muffin tins.  And I will not admit just how much batter I ended up licking out of the bowl.  So, I would plan for more than twelve muffins.  I wish I knew how to adjust down the recipe ever so slightly.  I think it would work well to do two batches, so that you are not cooking 2 or 3 muffins by themselves.  The taste, however, was sublime!

Yield:  14 muffins

Source:  http://thesouthernladycooks.com/2014/01/25/strawberry-muffins/

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup apple, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 butter, melted
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Directions:

Grease or line muffin cups and set tin aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon in medium bowl.  Add milk, butter, and egg.  Stir until flour is moistened.  Fold in apples.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin pan.  Bake 23-28 minutes or until lightly brown.  Cool 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan.  If desired, brush with browned butter and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar on top.


Myrtle's Note:  I added nutmeg, because it just belonged in there.  I also really like having a bit of something on top, so I browned some butter for that slightly nutty taste and then sprinkled a bit of cinnamon sugar ... because I always have an old spice jar of that mix ready and waiting my next yearning for cinnamon toast.

Yield:  12 Muffins


Source:  Land O'Lakes Baking and More (2010)

Honey Carrot Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 2 cups peeled shredded/minced carrots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Directions:

Place paper baking cups into a muffin pan or grease it and set aside.

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl and set aside.

Combine yogurt, milk, butter, and egg in a large bowl.  Whisk together until smooth.  Then slowly stir flour mixture into the yogurt mixture.  Fold in carrots.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin pan cups.  Bake for 25-30, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.  Top with melted butter and sugar in the raw, if desired.


Myrtle's Note:  The original recipe calls for melted apple jelly, both in the recipe and as a topping.  However, I thought that sounded odd.  The first time, I forgot to use some sort of substitute for the inside amount (1/4 cup), so the muffins were more like a breakfast bread.  I have adjusted the recipe to use honey.  And I substituted the sour cream with Greek yogurt to continue with the breakfast bread bent.


Yield:  12 muffins

Adapted from:  Land O'Lakes Baking and More (2010)

Irish Soda Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup craisins
• 1 cup boiling water
• Melted butter and sugar, about 2 tablespoons of each, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

Start by placing craisins in a bowl with the boiling water (the water should cover them by 1”). Let them stand and plump with moisture while you prepare the batter.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the softened butter until the mixture resembles moist crumbs. Whisk egg and buttermilk in a small bowl and pour into the batter. Beat until well combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.

Drain the raisins and stir them into the batter.

Divide the dough evenly among greased muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

While the muffins cool, brush the tops evenly with melted butter and sprinkle with additional sugar. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes in the pan, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Myrtle's Note:  I changed the recipe from raisins to craisins, because ... well ... who wouldn't??  The recipe said it would make 15 muffins, but I simply divided the batter into 12 muffin tin cups.  The muffins were nicely rounded and large that way.

Yield 12

Source:  http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/03/16/irish-soda-muffins/