Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

So it’s been a while.  I can give you a million reasons why I haven’t posted since last month but I won’t.  Hopefully this is the end of the dry spell.

I had 4 small bananas that were past the eating date according to everyone in my family.  I knew I needed to make something with them but couldn’t decide on anything.  I was going to make a banana cake with cream cheese frosting but getting out the mixer seemed like a lot of work while I was trying to do laundry and clean.  Banana bread rarely gets finished here for some reason.  Everyone starts gung ho on it and then I end up throwing out the last 3 slices.  I was going to make banana snicker doodles but once again sounded like too much work.

Finally I came across a recipe for banana chocolate chip muffins from the Epicurious  website.  I love this site because of the honest reviews that people leave on the recipes.  How can you go wrong when 275 people have left comments for you!!!

These muffins were delicious.  Light and fluffy, full of bananas and chocolate chips.  Definitely yummy my taste testers just confirmed! 

Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins (Epicurious.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with foil muffin liners.
• Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.
• Mix mashed bananas, egg, melted butter and milk in medium bowl.
• Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients just until blended (do not overmix).
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
• Bake muffins until tops are pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out with some melted chocolate attached but no crumbs, about 32 minutes.
• Transfer muffins to rack; cool.

Brrrrrrr...and Chocolate Banana Muffins!

It is mighty cold outside right now! 36 degrees is nothing to laugh at when you are pleasantly used to an average temperature of about 80 degrees. It doesn't happen often here but when it does it is BIG news!!! You can bet I will be baking or cooking today to try and get my house warmed up!

For today though I have nothing that will warm you up but it will surely make you happy!

I always use up my old banana's in something. They rarely if ever get thrown away but I was getting tired tired of the same old, same old. Banana bread, smoothies, cookies etc...Then I saw these from Elle at Elle's New England Kitchen and that changed all that and as luck would have it had some old banana's just waiting for this recipe!

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins (from Elle at Elle's New England Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, combine bananas, oil and egg.
3. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. The batter is quite thick, but keep folding it gently, making sure to get the batter on the bottom of the bowl, and it'll all come together.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups three fourths full.
6. Bake at 350 deg F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.

***Updated - I just made these again using applesauce instead of the oil and 1/2 cup of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour to replace 1/2 cup of AP Flour. They turned out perfectly and reduced this recipe by 2 WW Points to a total of 4 Points per muffin!!!

I am going to make these again! Everyone loved them. I will try and sub some applesauce for the oil next time though. Should lighten them up significantly!

Silly picture of my great big huge mutt in his favorite position! Less than a year old and still growing!

My sister will delete this post from her reader...

The Best Ever Banana Muffins...I will never use another recipe!

She thinks I have gone mad with all of the muffins and cupcakes that I have been posting lately. I think she is about to plan an intervention (anyone watch "How I Met Your Mother" last night?) between me and my muffin pan. Truth be told I don't really even like my muffin pan and badly need a new one. But I am really liking muffins and cupcakes right now. Too bad Sis this one still goes in!!!

These were the absolute best banana muffins I have ever had or made. They were rich, nutty, full of chocolate and bananas. Everything a banana muffin should be. Can I duplicate the recipe? Not too sure. I had one of those bags of ingredients that you buy in bulk and always forget to label or just figure you will remember what it was. I think this bag was almond meal. Maybe from a Daring Baker challenge months ago? I guess I need more almond meal!!! My quest is over. I now have the perfect banana muffin recipe!

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups AP Flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup milk
5 Tbs butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven 400 degrees. Place liners in your muffin pan.
• Mix flour, pecans, almond meal, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
  
• In a separate bowl mix together the bananas, milk, butter and egg.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just moist (do not over mix). Stir in the chocolate chips.
  
• Fill the muffin cups to almost over full with the batter.
• Bake until tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• Cool for 1 minute then remove and allow to cool on wire rack.

I will never make another banana muffin using any other recipe! This makes me soooo happy. Probably my sister too who will never have to read another post on banana muffins!!!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com