Some of my favorite, and most vivid memories of childhood are centered around my Granny’s kitchen. Like many southern women of her time, Granny showered those she loved with food. Whether it was chicken fried steak, chess pie, apple pie, cinnamon rolls or chicken spaghetti; Granny’s kitchen was always a source of love, food, family, and laughter.
Standing on a stool at her side, with flour dusting our hair, mimicking her every move – my love of cooking, and my passion for sharing food with those I love.
I have my Granny’s handwritten recipe cards, as well as her old cookbooks, and they’re one of my greatest treasures, I love flipping through them and sharing the memories surrounding each recipe with my kids.
I have my favorite recipes of her, the ones that hold the most memories in them hanging in my kitchen where I can see them and remember, daily.
My kids will often run their fingers over the faded writing and worn cards, and ask if we can make one of “Granny’s recipes” and if I’ll tell them memories while we do.
I think that one of my kids’ favorite cooking stories from my own childhood revolves around Granny’s Bran Muffins, me being a teenager, and a lesson learned about Tbsp and tsp and baking powder vs baking soda.
While we practice fractions, and reading directions I tell my kids about the time that I made Granny’s Bran Muffins, but didn’t understand that big T means Tablespoon and little t means teaspoon. So instead of 3 tsp of baking soda and 2 tsp of baking powder….
I added 3 TBSP of baking soda and 2 TBSP of baking powder…
The result – 3 dozen completely inedible, bitter as the day is long things that weren’t even worthy of the title ‘muffins’
The kids laugh at me and goggle at the thought of their mom, who can seemingly make anything, messed up a recipe so badly.
While we laugh and talk, sharing stories from my childhood, and making memories of our own – my kids are learning a bit more about my love language, their family history, and they’re practicing skills which will carry them throughout their lives: reading and following instructions, counting, measuring, fractions, and taking care of themselves.
Sharing Granny’s recipes with my kids ties our family together across the generations.
Want to know how to build a successful restaurant? Check out BonAppetit.com’s “Out of the Kitchen”, a glimpse into the inner workings of two successful restaurants. Meet the back of the house inner circle and see how face-to-face relationships keep customers coming back for more.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bon Appetit. The opinions and text are all mine.
Granny's Raisin Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 box bran and raisin cereal 16 oz
- 1 C raisins
- 2 C granulated sugar
- 5 C flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 eggs well beaten
- 1 C oil
- 1 qt 4 Cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Spray/Grease muffin tins or use baking cups
- In the largest, seriously - the biggest- mixing bowl that you have, blend together the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Add in the cereal and raisins and mix well.
- Add in the eggs, oil and buttermilk and thoroughly combine
- Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full and bake 10 - 12 minutes, or until a dry spaghetti comes out with crumbs, but no batter
Notes
This has been slightly adapted from Granny's original recipe by reducing the amount of sugar.
