Need Bran In Your Diet?

I guess we all need more fiber and bran in our diets. When Andy's doctor told him to add more fiber, I pulled out my favorite cookbooks.

I will bet that every Southern church cookbook has a recipe for Six-Week Bran Muffins. They are delicious and I make a big bunch of them. I will give you the basic recipe and then tell you how I tweek mine.

Six-Week Bran Muffins

1-  15 oz. box Raisin Bran cereal
3   Cups sugar
5   Cups flour
5   teaspoons soda
1   teaspoon salt
4   eggs, beaten
1   Cup oil
1   Quart Buttermilk (it doesn't matter if you don't like buttermilk, you HAVE to use it- no substitutes!)

Mix the cereal with sugar, flour, soda and salt. You will need a very large bowl. Add beaten eggs, oil, and all the buttermilk.  This batter is supposed to last for six weeks in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. I go ahead and bake all the muffins and then freeze the extras.

To bake: fill greased muffin pans (or use paper liners) 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 or more minutes. The muffins will be golden brown on top when done.

PS: Now for a few tweeks! I mix up my cereal using All bran, raisin bran and/or Total cereals. I also add 1/4 cup oat bran into the mix. I throw in some chopped walnuts, more raisins or dried cranberries. Just experiment with what you have in the cupboard.

This recipe makes 52 muffins. They are good topped with my homemade tart cherry preserves! Yummy.