Not your grandma's bran muffins

Today was 75º and sunny. I went for a run, read on my roof, and had my windows open all afternoon. What an ideal day. But, no. A tornado decided to pay a visit to Ann Arbor. It has been hailing for a good hour, there are flash floods all over town, and there is an official Tornado Advisory Warning on Washtenaw County right now. Department of Public Safety sent around an email to the student body telling everyone to stay indoors. And a number of houses the next town over got destroyed by a funnel cloud. Funny to think that 5 hours ago I was basking in the sun in my bathing suit (Hell yeah, 75º is tanning weather. Don't judge).

So naturally, I stayed inside and baked. I'm now holding up in my kitchen with flour all over my arms, still sporting bathing suit bottoms and a big tee. And I've got these lovely little bran muffins in the oven. I guess it's still a perfect day. They are so moist and soft and surprisingly not dense and sweetened by raisins! I will for sure be making these again soon.

Update: I brought these into work and my boss liked them so much he's begging to pay me so I can make him more. Yeah. They're THAT GOOD.

For the muffins:

2 cup wheat bran
1 cup, plus 1/2 cup dark raisins
1 cup, plus 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain low- or non-fat yogurt
a few swipes of fresh orange zest
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for six to eight minutes, stirring a few times so it cooks evenly. Let cool.

While the bran is toasting, heat 1 cup of the raisins with 1/2 cup of the water. Simmer for ten minutes, or until the water is all absorbed. Puree the raisins in a food processor or blender until smooth.

In a large bowl, mix together the toasted bran, buttermilk or yogurt, 1 cup water, then mix in the raisin puree, orange zest, and brown sugar.

Stir in the oil, and eggs.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and sift directly into the wet ingredients. Stir until the ingredients are just combined, then mix in the remaining 1/2 cup raisins.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, making sure the batter is mounded slightly in each one. Because muffin tins can very in size, if your tins are larger, make fewer muffins.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins feel set in the center.

Recipe adapted from Pastries from La Brea Bakery by Nancy Silverton

Maple oatmeal raisin cookies!

I feel like such a mom today. And you know what? --don't judge-- I'm loving it. I woke up this morning, went for a run, made these cookies, had a lunch (of cookies, duh). After spending the majority of my morning in the kitchen, I went to pick up some girlies from school (Rebe, and Maeve, who's a second grader and Rebe's and my pretty-much-sister). I was still in my workout gear and feeling pretty mom-ish. But then I felt cooler when we turned on the radio and jammed to Nelly. After stopping in the center of town to do some errands, we made our way home for some milk and cookies... and we danced some more. Now the girls are in the dining room, doing a puzzle, and I'm about to join. It's been a major housewife day. And it's great. Lol.

Makes approximately 32 cookies

For the cookies:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups old-fashioned, rolled oats

1 stick  room temperature unsalted butter

1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup raisins

For the maple glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons heavy cream

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl,  using a beater on medium speed, combine the butter, sugars, and maple syrup. Add in the eggs and beat until incorporated. Next add the flour, salt, and soda and beat until batter forms. Last, mix in the oats and raisins and beat until just incorporated. 

cookie models

Using a small ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons), place the batter onto greased cookie sheets, keeping an inch distance between the cookies. Bake for 7-10 minutes, then place hot cookies on a wire cooling rack. 

While the cookies are cooking, beat the confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, cream, and salt together on medium-high speed until mixture is glossy. Dip a whisk into the batter and then shake the whisk over the cookies on the rack to drizzle. It's as easy as that. Yumski.

Recipe adapted from Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather via La Kocinera.

Bread pudding

Ok. So I know this is not the most beautiful dessert I've ever featured, but it tastes incredible. It's hard to describe what a fabulous job eggs, cream, and sugar can do to some day-old bread, but let me give it a go: It's creamy and sweet, and lacks that heavy starch taste. It's like you're eating real pudding, only the consistency is more solid and not gelatinous like its normal pudding cousin.  It's filling to the point where you feel satisfied but not stuffed. It's sweet for dessert but also tasty for breakfast with coffee. It's simply spiced and the vanilla carries the flavor throughout the bite. It's kiiiiiinda awesome.

For the pudding:

6-7 slices day-old bread*
1/2 cup medium brown sugar

1/4 cup raisins

pinch nutmeg

1 cup whole (or 2%) milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, mix together cream, nutmeg, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. 

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and raisins until the milk is too hot to touch. Whisk into cream mixture. Set aside.

Cut slices into 1-inch squares. Add to the liquid mixture and let absorb, about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a casserole dish and pour pudding in. Bake for 25 minutes, until crust is golden and crispy on top. Serve warm or cold. Happy feasting!

*if you don't have day-old bread lying around, heat your oven to 350°F and toast the slices on each side until crispy.