Cherry-Apple Bran Muffins

I stepped out of my "box" of always having to follow someone else's recipe and I did some experimenting in the kitchen today!! I had bought some fresh cherries a couple of weeks ago and got tired of me and one child eating them fresh so I decided instead of letting them go to waste that I would use them up by making up some muffins.

Okay, I looked at my tried & true banana bread recipe to use as base for my experimenting but overall this recipe is totally something that I whipped together on my own to use up the fresh cherries that I were in my fridge that I got a couple of weeks ago on sale.

Here is the recipe:

3 eggs

2 sticks butter or margarine(I used a stick of each)

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour(I used 2 cups white, 1 cup whole wheat)

1 1/3 cups bran flakes, crushed

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups cherries, pitted & pureed(about 1# cherries)

1/2 cup applesauce

Remove pits from cherries. Put in the blender and coursely puree. (I used my Kitchenaid blender on the "chop" setting for 30-45 seconds.) In a mixing bowl, cream eggs, sugar, and butter/margarine. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, bran flakes, baking soda, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Add cherries and applesauce. Stir or mix well. Bake in oven at 350° for 35-45 minutes. Makes 24-27 regular size muffins.

Results: These got a 6 out of 7 from my family! My hubby did not like them that well BUT he is not a big fan of muffins that don't have chocolate of some sort in them. My kids inhaled their muffin and were asking if they could have another one. Since I was filling my freezer, I let them have their one and the rest were put in the freezer to pull out for a compliment/side for a breakfast or to have as a snack!

This post is linked at:

• In Season Recipe Swap at Tammy's Recipes!
• Recipe Swap at The Grocery Cart Challenge!
• Friday Feasts at Mom Trends!
  
• Food on Fridays at Ann Kroeker!
• Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!