Monday, October 26, 2009

Overripe Bananas - Banana Nut Muffins

I often have leftover bananas that have become too ripe to eat (I hate a mushy banana) so one thing to do is make banana bread, which I have done for years, but I wanted to try something a little different so I came across this banana nut muffin recipe from Tyler Florence (found on www.foodnetwork.com) and it's amazing! If I only have 1 or 2 ripe bananas I throw them in the freezer until I have enough and it works out great. (Just let frozen bananas thaw at room temperature until mashable) I get a great baked good and use up those un-eatable bananas so I don't have to waste them :) You could also use macadamia nuts and stir in 1/4 c. of coconut for a tropical flavor...mmmmm!

Banana Nut Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 overripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (I've used pecans or walnuts - both good)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter 2 muffin tins (or Pam spray works good too).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.
Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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