Buttermilk Oatmeal "Icebox" Muffins

I've had this recipe in the "drafts" section of my blog for months now.  I keep meaning to make it, take pictures, and post a nice version, but it hasn't happened yet.  Also, I haven't experimented with it using egg replacer, so I'm not sure how it will turn out for egg-free me :P

BUT! here is the original recipe. It's fabulous because you make the batter and store it in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.  Why is that fabulous? Because you can make as many or as few muffins as you want, whenever you want to make them.  Just preheat the oven, plop the batter in, and presto: delicious homemade muffins in 15 minutes.  Warm breakfast in a pinch? no problem.  Company coming and no fresh bread to serve with dinner? simple. And tasty :)

I remember these muffins so well growing up. Momma would make a huge recipe of batter and keep it in the fridge.  We would have them with potato soup (with a big dollop of butter melting bit by bit in the hot bowl of soup) or pea soup or we'd have them with skillet hash or stuffed green peppers.  Sometimes, we'd just have them as a treat, home from school, warm out of the oven.  Nothing beats warm homemade bread with butter. Nothing.

"Icebox" Oatmeal Muffins
Makes 11 c batter
cream together:

1 c (+ 2T) solid shortening (use at least part shortening, if you want to use butter)
2 c sugar (play with the amount. They don't need to be as sweet)
4 eggs

combine:
4 c oatmeal
1 T salt
5 tsp baking soda
5 c flour

add wet to dry alternating with 4 c buttermilk [did you know you can "fake" buttermilk? add 1 tsp vinegar to each cup of milk to mimic buttermilk's sour taste].

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve warm with butter.
or homemade grape jelly?...

Store any remaining batter in fridge (in non-reacting leftover container) for up to 6 weeks.  In my experience, the top "layer" of batter tends to gray a little bit. I think this is fine--just oxidation.  Probably preventable by layering plastic wrap over the surface of the batter.