Make Oatmeal Muffins for Your Brain

My mother always told me that fish was brain food. I suspected she said that because I hated fish when I was a kid. Of course, now I love to eat fish. However, according to several websites on the internet, oatmeal is brain food. (http://brainathlete.com/oatmeal-good-brain/) So last night, when I was feeling hungry and my plot was stuck in limbo, I decided to get out one of my favorite cookbooks, The New York Times Heritage Cookbook, where there's a recipe for "Float Away Oatmeal Muffins."

I made the muffins. They are incredibly light and fluffy. I ate one. Then I decided to spend the rest of the evening reading someone else's book, which was great fun. This morning I ate two muffins. I am anticipating a gigantic creative surge at any moment. :-)

Float Away Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup quick-cooking (dry) oatmeal
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted shortening (I used butter.)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the oatmeal in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over oatmeal. Let stand while sifting together    
    the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
3. Beat the egg into the oatmeal mixture. Beat in the brown sugar. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients
    and then the shortening.
4. Pour into a greased muffin tin and bake about eighteen minutes. (Watch carefully. They bake
    quickly.) Serve warm.

Yield: One dozen.