I posted a recipe for "Sam's Club Aussie Bites" a few months ago, but wasn't quite sastified. Since then, I've been noodling around with the recipe and have finally come up with this one, which my friends and family declare are just like, if not better than the storebought ones. It really is worthwhile to find whole-grain pastry flour, instead of whole-wheat pastry flour or whole-wheat flour--the taste and texture are far better. You can find whole-grain flour in the health-food section of your local grocery store.

Aimee's Aussie Bites II:

2 1/2 cups quick oats
2 cups whole-grain pastry flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup honey
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small microwaveable dish, cook raisins in 1/4 cup of water on HIGH for 20 seconds; set aside.

3. In a food processor or blender, pulse the oatmeal until it is mostly fine, but still has some whole oats; place in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the whole-grain pastry flour and the sugars.

4. In the food processor or blender, add the coconut and the sunflower seeds; pulse a few times until they are chopped medium-fine. Add the cranberries and pulse a few more times until the cranberries are coarsely chopped and the coconut mixture is finely chopped. Add to the flour/oat mixture; combine well.

5. Reserving the liquid, drain the raisins and pulverize in the food processor or blender. Set aside.

6. In a medium-sized microwaveable bowl, melt the butter with the honey, stirring to incorporate.

7. In a small heat-proof dish, add 1 tablespoon boiling water (I have water ready in a teapot) to 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. There should be a satisfying "fizz" as you dissolve the soda in the water. Immediately add this to the butter/honey mixture--the butter mixture may bubble a bit as you mix in the baking soda mixture.

8. Add butter mixture to the flour/oat mixture and combine well. Add the raisins and the 1/4 cup of reserved raisin liquid; combine well.

9. Using a small ice cream scoop, spoon mixture into ungreased mini muffin pans. Flatten slightly with your fingers. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. They should only look slighty dry on top and will depress slighty when touched with a finger. Do not let the muffins brown--they will look under-baked and seem too soft, but will firm up considerably when cool.

10. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove to cool completely on wire racks.

Yield: About 3 dozen muffins