Oatmeal Muffins

The Recipe

1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
3 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (my favorite)

Mix oats & buttermilk in a large bowl; let stand 30 min. to one hour. Preheat oven to 400 and spray 12 muffin cups with oil (or use papers, if you wish.)

Add egg, sugar and oil to oats and mix well.

Whisk all dry ingredients, including spices, in a medium bowl. Add dry to wet ingredients, folding until the flour disappears; then fold in dried fruit. Don't overmix! Divide among muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes back clean.

The Story

This is based on an old recipe I had from someone's web site years ago, but changed to make tastier and healthier. These are not light and sweet muffins, but more substantial for breakfast.

A great way to use up the buttermilk that you bought to make pancakes or cornbread. I've substituted some yogurt for the buttermilk when I didn't have enough; it loses something in flavor but does work well in a pinch.