wheat bran vs. wheat germ...NOT the same thing

This morning I baked up a batch of bran muffins, something I have not been able to find in Japan. I missed eating a raisin bran muffin like the kind I used to buy at Timmy's (Tim Horton's, a very popular coffee & donuts chain in Canada) so I resorted to making some. The recipe instructed to bake it for 15-20 minutes...this was totally off. The inside was still as gooey as ever - ick! I had to bake it for another 15-20 minutes.

The taste was not so bad but definitely different from bran muffins back home. Partly because I used wheat germ (for lack of wheat bran in the supermarket); partly because I cut down on the sugar. When I was back in Canada, I noticed my tastebuds had changed - the muffins were significantly sweeter than I recalled. Either my tongue became more sensitive or Timmy's changed their recipe. In any case, back to the subject...I satisfied my craving for bran muffins.

My friend Andrea told me after 10-years of marriage, I will be sick of cooking day after day. She is a wise woman, so I suspect it will likely happen as she said. Therefore I have decided to enjoy this time (in my life, pre-marriage) while I can - cooking just for pleasure and whenever I want, as opposed to a compulsory daily chore. In the meantime, I will keep my fingers crossed that Hiro will make me dinner a few times a week. My father never cooked a day in his life until my mom left...after a good three years he became a refined chef of impressive skills. He even taught me various culinary pointers...that just goes to tell you, nothing is impossible!