(Makes 12 muffins)

3 Cups rolled oats (vitamixed 20 seconds on high)

½ Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 Cup milk

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs*

1/3 cup oil

Grease muffin tins. Do not pre-heat oven. Combine dry separate from wet ingredients. (*If egg substitute desired, add instead 1/2  teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients and 2 Tablespoons vinegar to the wet.) Thoroughly whisk dry ingredients to remove lumps. Slowly incorporate dry into wet mixture. Immediately fill muffins tin and place in bottom rack of cold oven. Turn on oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow muffins to sit in tin for 5 to 10 minutes on kitchen counter before removing from tins and placing on cooling rack. Note: Oats tend to soak up liquid so batter should not sit or be saved for later; bake and save finished product instead of saving batter. Baking slowly, by placing in a cold oven allows the dough to bake thoroughly as the oven heats, instead of ending up with a soggy, raw center.  

VARIATIONS: To create a different flavor, add any of the following to dry ingredients before combining with wet ingredients.
1 cup berries, sliced strawberries, nuts, diced apples, or dried fruit.
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
¼ teaspoon ginger, all spice, or nutmeg.
3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled.
½ cup shredded cheese
lemon or orange rind, grated; replace vanilla with lemon or orange juice.
1 banana, sliced into small pieces (either add to dry, or mash and add to wet ingredients mixture)