GREY MATTER LIFE

I had one of those overly ambitious mornings today.

Up with the boys at 6:20am, maniac dogs fed, first grade belly full and loaded on the bus, three loads of laundry done and folded by 7:45am, a preschooler tucked under a blanket watching PBS; five lonely over-ripe bananas sat on my kitchen counter calling out for a culinary home.

I was compelled to oblige. I am sure I have some sort of disorder.

Hot cup of coffee in hand, I had a recipe in mind and the wheels between my ears began turning. I had a high functioning morning!

Adapted from Bon Appetit (March 1999), I made some adjustments. I can’t help it. I know I need to let well enough alone, but I need to make a recipe mine and hell, they turned out supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Yup!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yields: 2 Dozen
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/3 Cups Sugar
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
4-5 Medium Ripe Bananas
2 Large Organic Eggs
1/2 Cup Organic Butter – Melted
1/2 Cup Canola Oil 
3/4 Teaspoon Almond Extract
1/2 Cup Milk
1 1/4 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. I didn’t have any cupcake liners, so I just used spray oil to grease the muffin tins. Also, mix by hand, the texture is better. Combine the dry ingredients together set aside. Mash up bananas, add eggs and combine. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the banana/egg mix and combine. Add the wet to the dry ingredients (don’t forget the Chocolate Chips) and gently fold together until just combined – Do Not Over Mix. Fill tins (I use an ice cream scoop with the lever) and bake for about 30-32 minutes. Remove from tins and cool on racks.

If you’ve got monkeys in your house like we do, let the feeding frenzy begin.