Refrigerator Bran Muffins

I've had the same breakfast schedule for a number of years now.  Oatmeal on Mon and Thurs, Eggs and Yogurt on Tues and Fri, Waffles on Wed, Pancakes on Sat and Cold Cereal on Sun.  It's time for a change!  I'm keeping the same basic schedule but have been throwing some other things in there to spice it up a little.  That's where all the baked oatmeal recipes came in.  Also, eggs and yogurt are getting to be not enough for my kids as they are growing and getting bigger!  So now we'll add something with that like bagels, or toast or sometimes muffins!  I love these muffins because they are healthy so I feel good about serving them for breakfast and they are so easy because you can keep the batter in the fridge for a month!  So awesome.  Plus they taste really good, especially with a wee dab of butter and honey.  The whole recipe makes about 4 dozen muffins and it'll fit in my big tupperware bowl.

REFRIGERATOR BRAN MUFFINS
(found on Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

4 cups wheat bran flakes or plain wheat bran
2 cups bran buds (look like little pebbles) or all-bran (look like little twigs)
2 cups boiling water
1 quart (4 cups) buttermilk
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) butter, melted
½ cup (no-added sugar) applesauce
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl with a tight fitting lid, place the wheat bran flakes (or plain wheat bran) and the bran buds or all-bran. Pour the boiling water over the bran and mix well. Stir every couple of minutes while the mixture cools to room temperature. The mixture will become very thick and sticky.
After the mixture cools, add the buttermilk, melted butter, applesauce, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine all the ingredients together.
The batter can be covered well and kept in the refrigerator for up to 30 days. To bake, scoop the batter into greased or lined muffin tins. Fill 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees for about 14-16 minutes,* until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

*Note: These take about 15 min. when baking from a fresh batch of mix, but when it's been in the fridge it's closer to 20 min for me.