Yummiest Muffins

These muffins are my favorite. My sister found the recipe in Martha Stewart. The secret ingredients are vanilla and orange zest. Both flavors are subtle but the combination is divine. It just gives the muffins that certain je ne sais quois.

There's nothing tricky about the recipe, although it will probably require a special trip to the store as most people don't keep all these ingredients around

In a large bowl, combine:

11 tbsp. melted butter (no wonder they're good)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. orange zest

In another bowl, stir together:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups wheat bran

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

Stir the dry into the wet, then gently fold in:

1 1/2 cups berries (I used mixed frozen berries, but you could use whatever you can find--cran, rasp, blue, straw, scnozz (for all the fans of the original Willy Wonka movie))

Spoon the batter into 18 muffin cups and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Danielle--Anne got me the same cake plate for Christmas that Travis got you for your anniversary. Hmmmmm.