Ancho Honey Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins

• 3 cups bran cereal
• about 5 dried ancho chiles
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 2 & 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1-2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Place the ancho chiles in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and steep for about 10 minutes or so. Drain the liquid and reserve 1 cup of the ancho water. Carefully mince about 2 or so of the ancho chiles and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
3. In a medium bowl, combine bran cereal, ancho water, and applesauce. Mix well and set aside. It should resemble a sort of mush, but trust me, there's tons of flavor there.
4. Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, and baking soda until well combined. Stir in the honey, milk, and eggs. Then mix in the bran/applesauce mixture. Fold in desired amount of chocolate chips and minced ancho chiles.
5. Grease a muffin tin and pour batter into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 of the way. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or when toothpick comes out clean when placed in center of muffin. Let cool in muffin tin for about 10 minutes before serving.
6. Serve with a nice pat of butter and drizzle honey on top, if desired.

bran cereal, chiles, apple sauce, flour, salt, baking soda, honey, milk, eggs, chocolate chips, brown sugar, cinnamon

Taken from food52.com/recipes/5229-ancho-honey-chocolate-chip-bran-muffins (may not work)