Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 large (2-3/4-inch) muffin cups.

In a large microsafe measure, heat milk and oil until very warm, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir in multigrain cereal; let stand 10 to 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and mace.

Stir vanilla, brown sugar and egg into cereal mixture. Add to flour mixture; stir until almost moistened. Stir in cranberries, but do not overbeat.

Scoop into muffin tins. Sprinkle with raw or colored sugar. Bake in lower third of oven for 15 minutes or until done. Let cool in pans for 5 to 8 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Note: If using fresh or frozen-and-thawed cranberries, use 2 cups cranberries and increase sugar to 1 cup.

To make ahead: Flash-freeze muffins by arranging with space between them on a freezer-safe tray. After freezing about 1 hour, seal in plastic zipper bags. Wrap frozen muffins airtight, with instructions to serve warm.

Caution: Fat helps keep a finished cake or muffin in good shape during the freezing and thawing process. So feel free to try skinny substitutions with these recipes - such as low-fat cream cheese in the great Milky Way pie or egg substitute in the coffee cake - but only if you plan to bake and give these without freezing.

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