Do you know the muffin man?

I had some bananas on the counter and they were not looking so lovely any longer.  That always means its time for some baking.  I rarely make banana bread.  I usually make the dough into muffins.  We find the single servings perfect in our household and they freeze great that way too (that is if they last long enough to freeze any - warm baked muffins tend to disappear rather quickly).  I wanted a muffin that had some "umpf" to it this time, so I took my basic go to banana bread recipe and went from there.  We were all extremely pleased with the outcome!  Best of all, they are pretty darn good for you too!

What are you doing with your bananas?

Banana-Oat-Quinoa Muffins
Ingredients:
 4 ripe bananas (the riper, the sweeter, the better)
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional depending on how ripe the bananas are)
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup oats (you can add them as whole flakes or pulse them in a food processor)
1 cup  quinoa (you can add them uncooked for a crunchy texture or add it cooked for softer texture)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 cup bran

Method:
Cook the quinoa if you are going to go the cooked route.  It takes 2 cups of water per 1 cup of quinoa and generally 20 minutes.  If you are cooking the quinoa, you will yield 3 cups cooked for every cup uncooked.  Keep this in mind.  You'll only need 1 - 1/2 cups of the cooked quinoa.
Mash together bananas (I use my mixer and just add the ingredients as I go). 
Next add the sugar if you choose to add it - it's only needed if the bananas aren't very ripe.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Mix cooked (if going the cooked route) quinoa into the banana mixture at this point.
In a separate bowl combine flour, oats, quinoa (only if going the uncooked route), baking soda, baking powder, ginger and bran.  Mix well.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well.
Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until tops start to brown and look crunchy.

Enjoy!  They are super yummy!

Click here for a printable link

On the subject of pudding....

Earlier this week I used homemade pudding to make the Blueberry Banger Trifle.  I had to refer back to this recipe for homemade "Banana Pudding".  My mom made this every Thanksgiving since I can remember.  I love it.  I made it recently to alleviate a little spell of homesickness.  It's that kind of comfort food; rich, creamy and delicious.  Again, this is a layered dessert and doesn't take long, except for the pudding thickening part.

Find some old-fashioned comfort with this dish today!

Banana Pudding      
Ingredients:
3/4 cup of sugar
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
2 cups milk (I use 1%)
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 box Nilla Wafers
2-3 large bananas, sliced

Method:

• Mix together sugar & flour in a medium saucepan, over low heat. 
• Gradually add milk, whisking constantly
• Allow the sugar/milk mixture cook on low, stirring often, until it thickens and starts to bubble (Watch carefully and make sure you keep it over low.  Milk scalds easily.  This part feels like it takes forever, which it kinda does.  It's worth it though and I promise, it does eventually thicken!)    
• Once the mixture thickens, add 4 Tbsp. of the thickened mixture to the beaten eggs (this acclimates the eggs to the pudding temperature, slowly).
• Add the eggs to the milk/sugar mixture and stir.  Allow to cook over low heat for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat.  Add butter and vanilla, mix well.
• Now you are ready to layer!  Nilla Wafers, Banana Slices, Pudding, Nilla Wafers, Banana, Pudding Nilla Wafers.

 Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe