Raisin Bran Muffins

Perfect Pairing: Spring loaded ice cream scoop

A few years ago my parents started talking about moving to the lake full time.  If I’m being totally honest, I didn’t think it would happen for years.  Then on a walk in the fall of 2010 my mom happened upon “the perfect lot for a house”.  Things really started moving after that. 

My parents sold our family home last summer.  They built that house in 1989.  It was very bittersweet to say goodbye to my childhood home, but I am thrilled that my parents are living at the lake full time.   I always say it is my favorite place on earth, so I am happy to have a bed there! 

Even though the original lake house is just a mile down the road/coast (can you call it a coast on a lake?), I was sad to say goodbye to it.  We had so, so, so many good memories there.  When my parents bought it 15 years ago it was not exactly a pretty sight.  The entire outside of the house (including lots of decking) was painted an awful rust color.  The bathroom doors in the master bedroom were saloon doors.  You know what I mean, the half doors that are on old timey western movies?  Um, who in their right mind puts saloon doors on a bathroom?  Especially when the bedroom opens out onto the deck?!

We didn’t care about the saloon doors or rust colored paint.  My mom said to my dad, “We won’t have to change a thing!  We’ll just move in and have fun!”   Ha, famous last words!  Through many renovation projects (and a lot of hard work) they turned it into a beautiful home.  We all feel very fortunate that the new owners seem to love it as much as we did.  I am excited to see them make new memories in that house.  I just feel better knowing it will be loved.

We not only made a lot of great memories in this house, we made a lot of really, really good food.  We even started having chef challenges there.  If you ask any regular houseguest what food reminds them of the lake house, I think they would all say raisin bran muffins.  My mom has been making these muffins since there was a saloon door on the master bathroom.  They are, without a doubt, my favorite muffins. 

The recipe calls for an entire box of raisin bran cereal, so it makes a large quantity, probably about 50 to 60 muffins. The beauty of this recipe is that the batter just gets better with time!  You can keep it for up to eight weeks in the refrigerator.  Just scoop out the number of muffins you need, and bake them up.  We found that a spring loaded ice cream scoop is the perfect tool.  This is our go-to breakfast at the lake, whether we are feeding 2 or 20.  Mom always has a batch ready to go in the fridge.

So even though there will be no more raisin bran muffins made at the saloon door lake house, there will definitely be countless batches made at the new address! 

Raisin Bran Muffins

Adapted by Linda R. from unknown source

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

·         15 oz box Raisin Bran

·         5 cups all purpose flour

·         3 cups sugar

·         5 tsp baking soda

·         2 tsp salt

·         1 cup vegetable oil

·         4 eggs, lightly whisked

·         1 quart low fat buttermilk

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the raisin bran, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Stir gently to combine.  Mix in the remaining ingredients and stir until just moistened.  Mix can be stored in the refrigerator in a gallon container for up to 8 weeks.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and grease a muffin tin.  Do NOT stir the batter.  Scoop the desired amount of muffins into the tin using an ice cream scoop.  Bake for 18 minutes, or until set in the center.

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