Running With Cereal

With the leisure and relaxation of winter vacation ending, children dread the start of school. Impending homework and tests keep kids in bed long after their alarms go off, leaving them with 20 seconds to slurp up their morning cereal before running to the bus stop.

While tempted to skip breakfast instead of rushing and sloshing milk all over their new shirts, your kids probably still want their morning cornflakes. To make their favorite cereal portable for their dash to the bus, bake the cornflakes into a muffin! Moist, sweet, and easy to grab, these tasty pastries are sure to start your kids’ days off on the right foot.

Cornflake Jam-Filled Muffins

based on this recipe

makes 12

While I enjoyed the raspberry jam, I’d really like to try strawberry or apricot! Be sure to let these cool enough before you eat them; the jam stays hot for much longer than the muffin part.

2 c. cornflakes

1¼ c. skim milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

¼ c. vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1½ c. flour

⅓ c. sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

¼ c. raspberry jam, stirred until smooth

Preheat oven to 400°. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners, or lightly coat the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Add the cornflakes and milk to a large bowl, and let them sit for 3-5 min or until cereal softens, stirring once or twice. Stir in the egg, oil, and vanilla, mixing well. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Gradually add to the cereal mixture. The batter will be very stiff. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Using the back of a wooden spoon or your finger, make a deep indentation in the center of each, and fill the well with 1 tsp of jam. Bake at 400° for 18-21 min, or until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffin part comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 min before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.