there are those certain flavors that can act as an instant time machine. one bite and you're transported to somewhere in childhood, maybe not even to a memory or place specifically but to an attitude or some sort of youthful idealism. the overwhelming sense of nostalgia i get when i eat one of my grandma's bran muffins isn't necessarily a purely positive experience {although in terms of taste it is}. the last few months i've been stuck a bit in the past. i think for the first time in my short life i'm feeling a certain type of regret, the type where you wish you could go back and do things over again a bit differently. maybe i just regret that i didn't enjoy being a kid more, or maybe it's that i wish i could've undone some mistakes, or not have wasted my own time, whatever the reason these muffins have served as a bittersweet reminder of childhood and all the promise {and butter.... these are so good slathered in tons of the stuff.} it once offered.
now, i know you're thinking, um, hey, debbie downer, you're 24, your life is far from complete and you know what? you're absolutely right. it's a truth universally acknowledged that relying solely on your rear view mirror to drive will, without a doubt, lead you to crash your car. i better start looking forward.
grandma's bran muffins.
makes 12 muffins
from eileen tabares
- 1/4 box raisin bran cereal {go for a natural brand, most major ones use high frutose corn syrup, you don't need that crap}
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- pinch ground cloves + nutmeg
- mix together cereal, flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.
- add beaten eggs, oil, buttermilk, walnuts and spices.
- refrigerate batter overnight.
- preheat oven to 375 degrees. lightly grease a muffin pan. let batter come to room temperature and lightly mix to reincorporate. divide batter evenly between 12 muffin tins.
- bake for 15-20 minutes. let cool and serve with butter*.
