All-Bran Muffins

I would like to thank God's Pantry for supplying Bethel Camp with an over abundance of All-Bran cereal. I thank my sister-in-law for sending me home with several boxes & for providing me with this recipe, as I had no desire to eat dried up cereal balls for breakfast. And I especially thank my youth pastor's wife for letting me borrow her pans - without them I would not have attempted to bake these without some heavy-duty non-stick spray!!

2 c. All-Bran cereal
1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. buttermilk **
3/4 c. raisins, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour boiling water over cereal & let stand for 15 min. In a mixer, cream shortening & sugar. Add eggs, beating until fluffy. Add bran mixture. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Fold in raisins. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes in metal muffin tins or 13-15 minutes in silicone muffin tins. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen muffins.

** If you don't have buttermilk on hand, just pour 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice (or vinegar) into a 2 c. container & fill the rest of the way with milk. We prefer these without raisins. Also, you can store this in the refrigerator for several weeks in a tupperware container, or bake immediately & store baked muffins in the freezer. Pop them in the microwave or toaster in the morning & you've got an easy breakfast "to go".