What's up Wednesday--banana chocolate chip mini muffins

 Going with a muffin theme this month so far, but that is good.  On cold mornings I don't think you could have a better breakfast than a yummy muffin and some hot chocolate, and we have had some cold mornings!  Today school didn't start until 10 a.m. because of ice everywhere.  The kids and I didn't complain.  How nice to sleep in on a Wednesday!!!  Sweet!  I have shared these before, but they are seriously one of our family's favorite muffins.  Banana chocolate chip--yum!  They freeze well if you have leftovers to take out and warm up for another cold morning breakfast.  Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 large or 3 medium)

1 large egg

1/4 cup butter, melted or coconut oil melted

1/4 cup sour cream, can use fat free or low fat

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 and either line a mini muffin tin with baking cups or spray with pam.  In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix well.

In a mixing bowl combine the mashed bananas, egg, melted butter/coconut oil, sour cream, vanilla and milk.  Mix well.  Mix in the dry ingredients until barely mixed in.  Do not overmix.  Fold in chocolate chips and fill each muffin tin.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until top are golden and spring back when touched.  

Enjoy!

A change of plans and Our Favorite Banana Recipes

Do you ever have those days that just do not turn out like you planned, not necessarily in a bad way, just not what you had planned?  Yesterday was one of those for me.  Yesterday I got up and thought I knew what my schedule would be.  It was a Tuesday.  Tuesdays are my school volunteer days.  I am at the school almost all day in my different kids' classes.  I love it.  Well, Miss E had been sick with just a fever since Saturday night.  I stayed home with her Sunday, and Monday, but Monday evening she didn't have a fever, and Tuesday morning she was 98.6, so I sent her to school and then I followed not too long after.  I was in Mr. J's class about 9 when I hear over the intercom "Jen if you are in the building, will you please come to the office."  Now even though I am 30 something, being called to the office still makes me feel nervous!  Anyway, Miss E's fever was back up, so we headed home.  Now I had a whole day at home I was not planning on.  Got Miss E some Tylenol, and she just wanted to lay on the couch and watch Star Wars.  I had a bunch of bananas that were getting pretty ugly, so I got to work and baked up a storm.  We love bananas at our house and banana bread and especially these banana muffins.  Mr J asks for them at least twice a week, "Mom, can you make me some banana muffins?"  Yum, yes!  These all freeze very well.  Enjoy!

Dearie's Banana Bread--this recipe is my Great-Grandma's who we all called Dearie

2 c. flour

2 eggs

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter (soft)

1 tes. soda

1 tes. salt

1 tes. vanilla

1/2 c. nuts (optional, we never put them in, we aren't nut people)

3 medium, ripe bananas mashed

Cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs and vanilla, and mix well.  Add all other ingredients and bananas and mix well.  Bake 350 for 1 hour if doing one large loaf, bake 35-40 minutes if making 4 small loaves (like above).  Check with toothpick in middle to see if done.  

These are our favorite mini-chocolate chip banana muffins.  I always double the recipe (doubling will make about 48 mini-muffins), and if there are any left after we are done, they freeze really well.  I got this recipe from Family Fun years ago.  It is a staple at our house. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tes baking powder

1/4 tes salt

1 cup mashed, ripe bananas

1 large egg

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup fat free or light sour cream

2 tes. vanilla

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine mashed bananas, egg, melted butter, sour cream, milk, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Blend in the dry ingredients, but do not over mix.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Spoon into greased mini muffin tins and bake 350 for 12-15 minutes or until top bounces back when touched. 

So sometimes I think it is good when your days do not turn out exactly like you planned.  Sometimes they turn out better and much yummier!   Enjoy!