The best moment for me in the kitchen is to get that inspired feeling. Most days, this feeling escapes me, but a day off left a window of opportunity wide open.
I found myself with both kids preoccupied and enough time to wonder what to do with myself. Hungry, I wandered into the kitchen, searching for inspiration. I found two over ripe, brown skinned bananas. Knowing no one would eat the bananas in their current state, I decided to bake with them.
I’m a big fan of muffins so banana muffins became my mission of the afternoon. I found a recipe, but, as usual, made some modifications. I didn’t want to use an egg, wanting to save the eggs for baking cookies another day. I omitted the eggs and used baking soda and vinegar instead. I replaced the vegetable oil with melted butter to add that much desired butter flavor. The topping was to be white granulated sugar but I felt brown sugar would taste better.
In one bowl, I creamed the melted butter with white sugar. In a separate bowl I mashed the two bananas with a potato masher until they were a smooth paste. I added the bananas to the butter and sugar mixture. Added the teaspoon of vinegar.
In another bowl I mixed the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda with a wire whisk. Then slowly stirred the flour mixture into the banana mixture. Once fully blended, I scooped the thick batter into paper muffin cups lining a muffin tin. I baked them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. My oven runs a little hot so others may want to bake at 375 degrees. I also rotate the tin half way through the cook time.
The muffins came out moist and dense. I melted a little butter. Dipped the muffin tops in the butter and then dipped them in brown sugar. This made a tasty afternoon snack, and breakfast the following day. I received rave reviews and requests for more. The muffins quickly disappeared.
Not long after that, I found myself with a hole bunch of brown, over ripe bananas. So I made more banana muffins, but wanting to change it up a little, I decided to top them with a basic cream cheese frosting to make them more of a dessert. Once again, the muffins disappeared.
My daughter, Anna, 5, said, “Mom, you make the best muffins!”
Her father asked me to make more. So I guess I’ll be making more!
Banana Muffins
Ingredients2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup melted butter2 mashed over ripe bananas
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vinegar1/2 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. cinnamon
DirectionsHeat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
Cream melted butter and white sugar. Stir in mashed bananas. Add vinegar.
In separate bowl, using a wire whisk, mix together flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Slowly mix flour mixture into the banana mixture until fully blended. Batter will be thick. Scope batter into paper cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. While still warm, dip muffin tops in melted butter and then dip in brown sugar. Or let cool completely and frost muffins.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
1/4 cup soft butter4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups confectioners sugar1 tsp. vanilla
DirectionsBeat butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla. Slowly add sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy.
