Sunday, May 27, 2012

Tea, sympathy & banana muffins


 Things have been quiet around here.  Winnipeg doesn't seem to have gotten the memo that spring/summer should really be around the corner.  Today it's overcast, drizzly, and 10ºC (50ºF for those south of the border!)  Perfect time for sipping hot beverages and making muffins.


Banana muffins were a weekend staple in our house.  It seemed we always had overripe fruit to contend with.  My mom had a spiral-bound cookbook called "Muffin Mania", which I loved... it was perfect for the beginner cook (which I definitely was, at age 12).  My Nonna loves making banana muffins, too... she'll make a batch, freeze them, and reheat them individually whenever we show up for weekend coffee.


The pics here are from a batch I made quite awhile ago, but I found a recipe that seems to work super-well, and has the added benefit of being quick and easy.  I whipped up a batch in about 10 minutes while Skyping with Tori last week, and Nonna-style, they lasted me well into this weekend.  Mmm!

Best-ever Banana Muffins
From Robin Hood Home Baking 2004, by way of "The Canadian Baker" (another fellow Blogger user!)

Makes 1 dozen
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana ( 3 or 4 large)
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.
  2. Beat egg, mashed banana and melted butter in a large bowl until thoroughly blended.
  3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan.
  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.
Variations:
  • Add 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries or blueberries to the batter.
  • Add 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter (I used chopped 70% chocolate last week... mmm!)
  • For a vegan version, substitute 1 Tbsp ground flax mixed in 3 Tbsp water for the egg and dairy-free margarine for the butter.


Off to put on my ugly sweater and curl up with a warm, snuggly (if somewhat annoyed) cat,
-Honeybee