Banana Muffins (Or What to do with Two Over-Ripe Bananas)

Despite my best intentions, it seems like there's always at least one banana out of the bunch that goes all dark and speckled before I have a chance to eat it.  But this produce-tragedy is really no tragedy at all.  Out of those lonely, brown-ish bananas can arise some truly beauteous banana baked goods!  Because once they're past the point of no return, there's really only one thing to do with an over-ripe banana: make muffins.  Or banana bread.  Or banana oatmeal cookies.  Ok, so there are many variations on that one thing to do, depending on exactly how many bananas you have languishing in your counter top fruit bowl.  For me, three bananas = bread, two bananas = muffins, and one banana = banana oatmeal cookies.  Can you tell I encounter these scenarios a lot?     

Tonight, with two sad, shriveled bananas inhabiting my counter top, it's banana muffin time!  I like chocolate chips and walnuts in my banana muffins, but feel free to get creative here!  Pecans would be good, or some shredded coconut, or even raisins (if you're into that sort of thing).

Banana Buttermilk Muffins

(Makes 12-14 Muffins)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled

1/4 cup buttermilk (you could use regular milk too, but the buttermilk makes them extra moist)

3/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with those handy paper muffin liners.  In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  In a small bowl, mush up the bananas and add the egg, butter, and buttermilk.  Stir to combine.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (it's ok if it's a little lumpy).  Stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts, or whatever yummy additives you feel like tossing in there.

Fill each muffin cup with about 1/4 cup of batter.  Bake for 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the little muffins comes out clean.  Makes a delightful addition to breakfast and also lovely as an evening snack :)

Tell me that doesn't look better than a brown banana!