Bran Muffins

Heat oven to 400°F. Place a paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups, or spray just the bottoms of the cups with cooking spray.

Place cereal in a resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal the bag. Roll over cereal with a rolling pin or bottle, or press with the bottom of a small saucepan, to crush cereal into fine crumbs.

In a medium bowl, stir the crushed cereal, milk, raisins, and vanilla until well mixed. Let stand about 5 minutes or until the cereal has softened and most of the milk has been absorbed. Beat in the oil and egg with a fork.

In another medium bowl, stir the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well mixed. 

Stir flour mixture into cereal mixture just until the flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). 

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If muffins were baked in paper baking cups, immediately remove from pan to a cooling rack. If muffins were baked in a sprayed pan, leave in the pan about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan to a cooling rack. Serve warm, if desired. Makes 12 muffins.