Refrigerator Bran Muffins

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If measuring and mixing before coffee isn’t your thing, these muffins might be. The batter keeps in the refrigerator for 7 days, so all you need to do is scoop and bake. Makes 30 muffins.

• 2 cups boiling water
• 5 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups chopped pitted dates
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 5 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups 1% buttermilk
• 2 cups natural bran
• 4 cups all bran
• 3 cups chopped dried fruit
  (we used apples, apricots
  and raisins)
• 1/4 cup chia or flax seeds

Mix the boiled water and baking soda together in a bowl. Add the chopped dates to water, and let cool to room temperature.

In a really large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs and the cooled water and date mixture. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Stir in the bran and then the dried fruit. Scoop into buttered or lined muffin tins, and bake in a 400˚F oven for 20 minutes.

Batter keeps in refrigerator for 7 days.