Bran Muffins - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 c. boiling water
2 c. seedless golden raisins
5 tsp. baking soda
1 c. shortening (1 stick butter, 1 stick margarine)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
5 1/2 c. unbleached flour
4 c. all-bran cereal
2 c. 40% bran flakes
1 qt. buttermilk
1 c. nuts, optional
1 tsp. salt (optional)

Preparation

In small bowl, pour water over raisins; add soda and cool.
In very large bowl, cream shortening and sugar.
Add flour (reserve 1/2 cup flour if using nuts), salt and cereal.
In another large bowl, beat eggs; add buttermilk and fold in raisin mixture.
Add all at once to flour mixture; mix until well moistened.
Add nuts, floured with reserve flour.
Cover and store in refrigerator.
Bake when needed in muffin tins at 375\u00b0 for 20 to 25 minutes.