Refrigerator Pumpkin Bran Muffins

My boys love muffins- especially these pumpkin ones. I like to double the recipe and it's nice to just grab the batter out of the refrigerator and pop them into the oven real fast!

Ingredients:

2 c. whole bran cereal

1 1/2 c. buttermilk**

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. applesauce

2 tsp. orange zest; grated

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 c. rasins or dried fruit or chocolate chips- I do not add this to the batter until I am ready to bake- I add 1/2 tsp. to each muffin well

** I make my own buttermilk**

Add 1 tbsp. of lemon juice to 1 c. milk and stir

Let sit for 5 minutes then add to bowl- to make 1 cup

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the cereal and buttermilk. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften cereal. Add pumpkin, applesauce, orange zest, and eggs; blend well. Stir in flour, sugar, and spices. Fold in dried fruit or chocolate chips if you would like to add it now. Batter may be baked immediately or stored up to two weeks in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container.

To bake in oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees. grease or line muffin pan with muffin papers. Fill each well 3/4 full. This is where I add my chocolate chips to each muffin well. Bake for 18-22 minutes of making regular size muffins; 16-20 minutes if making mini- muffins.

Serves: several dozen