Om nom nom Muffins!

I love muffins! I love them so much I call anything that is cute, fuzzy (long story), or sad a muffin. Last night I finally had the perfect combo of time, energy and chocolate chips to make my favorite muffins: chocolate chip bran muffins. The recipe is shamelessly stolen from the top of the Quaker bran box and is quite delectable.

Here is the original recipe, with notes from me in italics:

QUAKER Bran Muffins

1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs (unbeaten)
1 1/2 cup QUAKER natural wheat bran
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tsp salt <- I never add salt to baking recipes (with the exception of bread). I find things these days are usually quite salty enough without needing to add, and salt is easy to add on later either with a shaker or some salted butter.
1/2 cup raisins (optional) <- @#*% raisins! Add chocolate chips till there's more chocolate chips than batter! Then add some more!

12 servings - 1 dozen large muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cream shortening and sugar together.
Add molasses and eggs and beat together well
Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a bowl.
Add to liquid ingredients, mix well, add raisins.
I am kind of lazy and just dump the ingredients into the bowl one by one mixing the whole time. It works out fine.
Spoon into greased muffin pans. Or into muffin cups, easier to clean.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!