Honey & Goat Cheese Stuffed “Hinny” Bran Muffins

Sometimes I fear my inability to avoid peer pressure.  I just can’t say no.  Luckily this manifests itself in response to invitations to join book clubs, go on road trips and sign up for races rather than solicitations for hard drugs, ponzi schemes and sex.  Regardless, a lovely group of ladies recently convinced me to sign up for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon.  I had some initial sticker shock ($160 for a half!?).  Then I was informed that the finishers medal is a Tiffany’s necklace, water will be handed to me by hot men in tuxedos and training consists of getting together with a bunch of fabulous ladies for brunches and happy hours.  And I registered immediately.

Joy wasn’t lying.  She hosted our first ‘get to know you’ brunch last Sunday.  It was fabulous and no one made me run.  Since it was a potluck, Joy suggested that we all bring a childhood favorite brunch item.  Well, blueberry pancakes were more of a dinner food growing up in my household, so that would have to wait for another get together.  Brunch… what did I like for brunch as a child?

I thought and thought and all I could come up with was raisin bran.  Or hinny bran rather, since for some inexplicable reason raisins were “hinnies” for my first five years of life.  But I didn’t feel like a box of Kellogg’s and a gallon of milk was the appropriate choice to bring to a brunch gathering and impress girls I was only just meeting.  “Nice to meet you!  Can I pour you a bowl of cereal?”  Sounds like my college dating life.  (Just kidding, mom!)

Regardless, I decided to make it a bit more sophisticated.  Although from the look of that sun hat I was a pretty sophisticated lady.  A sophisticated lady who didn’t care so much for pants.  So I incorporated my Kellogg’s into raisin bran muffins filled with honey and goat cheese.

I have a feeling Hannah Elmos would have hated goat cheese.  But at 26 she gets pretty excited about it.   

Honey & Goat Cheese Stuffed Raisin Bran Muffins

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

• ½ cup oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup plain yogurt)
• 4 cups Raisin Bran cereal
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• Turbinado sugar for topping (optional)

1. Beat oil and sugar together for a couple of minutes.  Mix in eggs and buttermilk.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  Stir in raisin bran.
3. In a small bowl, combine goat cheese, honey and vanilla.
4. Grease a muffin pan or line with muffin papers.  Fill each halfway with batter.  Add a generous teaspoon of cheese mixture to the center of each muffin.  Top with remaining batter and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 12 large muffins

What were your favorite breakfast foods as a kid?

Did you use any funny made-up words?

Johanna