Bran Muffins

My boss' wife made these for an all day meeting we had, they were really good, and healthy! So I asked for the recipe. I love them! Raisins can be optional!

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 3  cups  hodgson mill unprocessed  wheat bran
• 1  cup boiling water
• 1  cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter (or canola oil)
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 2  cups buttermilk

Directions

1. Mix 1 cup wheat bran with 1 cup boiling water; stir and let water absorb into bran. (This would be a good time to throw in some raisins and let them soften).
2. In a separate bowl, blend sugar and butter.
3. Measure and combine flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Combine the moist bran with beaten eggs, the remaining 2 cups of bran, buttermilk, blended sugar-butter mixture, and flour, soda and salt mixture. Stir until well blended.
5. Place in the refigerator for future use, or bake at once.
6. When preparing to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Stir batter well and spoon into prepared muffin tins.
8. Bake 15 minutes.
9. Keep remaining mixture in airtight container for 2-4 weeks.