Friday, January 05, 2007

A rare recipe

Hold onto your chairs. I'm going to share a recipe with you.

I made these on Christmas morning and they were really wonderful. I've never made homemade muffins before and was very pleased with how easy and delicious they turned out to be. I recommend them warm from the oven spread with butter. Don't forget a nice cup of coffee or tea.

The recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Optional: dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 large muffin tins with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into mixer bowl. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from pan, and serve.

11 comments:

Mary said...

My husband will love this recipe. He's a fruit lover and especially likes breads and cakes with bananas in the recipe although bananas make his ears itch. I printed it out. Thanks, Laura!

Anonymous said...

Yum, oh yum, oh yum. I can see bananas in the tree next door. How to get them down? hmmmm...

Lené Gary said...

They sound delicious, Laura. Thanks for posting the recipe. I'm an avid muffin baker. :)

Anonymous said...

That recipe looks very yummy! Nothing like warm muffins or bread right from the oven, with lots of melted butter, and a hot mug of tea. Thanks Laura!

dmmgmfm said...

That recipe sounds wonderful. I'm going to print it off and make some for my dad. Thanks.

Susan Gets Native said...

Ack! I need more warning than that!

Yum...banana muffins...

LauraHinNJ said...

Mary: Is it only his ears that itch? How strange!

Vicki: You might be happy to know that bananas used in baking are better if they're overripe - don't bother climbing the neighbor's tree, just swipe any that have fallen to the ground.

;-)

Lene: They are especially yummy. I've always thought muffins were hard to make - what a surprise these were so easy. Next I'm going to try out a recipe for scones.

Naturewoman: Yep - much tastier when warm and slathered with butter. I'd bet a drop of honey would be nice too.

Laurie: Hope you dad enjoys them!

Susan: I know - pretty dangerous taking cooking advice from me!

Patrick B. said...

I like the Barefoot Contessa show even though she comes across a little "hoity-toity" (sp?) sometimes. Everything she makes looks great. Would you peg me as someone who is addicted to the Food Network?

LauraHinNJ said...

I've never watched her show, Patrick, but I love her cookbooks! Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way.

I do not picture you as a Food Network person at all!

Jill said...

Sounds yummy!! My mom is really into making muffins, but does not have that many recipes. So - for Christmas - I gave her a muffin cookbook from Williams Sonoma. I will have to pass this one along to her.

LauraHinNJ said...

Thanks for visiting, Jill. Hope your mom will try them!