Heather's Honey Bran Muffins

One of my all-time favourite activities is "Girl's Night" with my best friend Heather.  They occur most Thursdays (Grey's Anatomy), the occasional Tuesday (Glee) and anytime an epic chick-flick comes out.  The more crying the better.  Seriously.  

We used to have a tradition where one of us would pick up a bottle of Boones (cheap, fruity wine) on the way to the other's house.  Now we have bake-a-thon's instead (okay - the wine occasionally makes an appearance).  

 These muffins are Heather's signature recipe - you can always find some of these on her counter or in her freezer.  These are a great breakfast muffin and go excellent with your morning coffee. 

[Heather: These muffins are fast, healthy and delicious. I make a batch every two weeks and my house eats them for breakfast everyday. And with the news that a small amount of chocolate in the am will help your metabolism, they are even better for you!]

Ingredients

- 2 cups apple juice

- 2 cups chocolate chips

- 1 cup packed brown sugar

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 1/2 cup honey

- 5 eggs, beaten

- 2 cups all purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking soda

- 1 tsp salt

- 4 cups bran 

Directions

In a medium bow, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in bran.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or electric mixer, combine brown sugar, oil, honey, and eggs; mix well.  Stir in apple juice.  Add bran mixture, and mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips.  

Cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight for best results (can be placed in the freezer for 30 minutes instead). Batter will be thin; it will thicken as it chills.  

Stir chilled batter.  Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full. 

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to counter to cool. 

Enjoy! 

This is the oldest picture I can find of Heather and I (I'm on the left, she's on the right).  I'm pretty sure this was in grade 9 (yep, that would be the late 90's) - taken in front of our high school.  It's really too bad there is no photographic evidence (ha!) of our matching pixie cuts - mine hot pink, and hers smurf blue.   Yep, we were the coolest.