Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins
You have to know something about me, Sylvia P. Wendolen. I need to be kept busy, or else I get bored and unspeakable things occur. Fortunately, last Monday a positive reaction came from my sudden unwavering boredom.
On the first Monday of summer, I was at home alone with nothing to do when I noticed two bananas on the counter that were about to pass their prime. Unacceptable! I handled the situation the way anyone would. I whipped out my New York Times Cookbook, grabbed some ingredients, and got baking. If you’re a serious cook (and I’m not!), then you have your go-to recipe for every single dish you’ve ever made. However, I only have one dish that i have a tested, reliable recipe for: Banana Bread. Also, everything’s better in muffin form, right? Here is the process and the beautiful result of the two almost too ripened bananas on the center island.
Don’t you love bursts of inspiration? I happened to pass a bag of chocolate chips on my way to the flour, and decided to add them. Best idea I’ve had in a while. Here’s another great idea, though it’s not mine.
Mix it all together and you know that it’s the best of both worlds!
Do not be alarmed if the dough looks extremely crummy like this at one point. The bananas will make it all better!
Raw banana bread dough tastes just as good as raw cookie dough. No joke!
There’s something fantastic about the warm meltiness of chocolate chips just out of the oven
You just drooled a little, huh? It’s okay, we’re all friends here.
Mmmm, as London Tipton once said, “It’s soft from the banana, yet crunchy from the nuts!” Well said, well said. Sorry for all the Disney references, they just keep slipping out! Like a banana peel..
Credit for this fantasmagorical recipe goes to John Harper, who’s banana nut bread won awards at the State Fair of Michigan(I can see why). From the New York Times Cookbook, here it is:
Makes 1 Loaf
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
4 teaspoons lemon juice (I used lime juice-shhh!)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed (2 to 3) ripe bananas
1/2 cup walnuts, preferably black, broken or chopped coarsely
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put the shortening and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream together until smooth and well blended. Beat in the egg and lemon juice
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Fold the mixture into the batter and blend well. Stir in the mashed bananas and walnuts. Pour the mixture into a 9x4x3-inch loaf pan(or in a muffin pan) and bake 60-70 minutes, or until a straw inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out on a rack to cool.
Enjoy! May your future be lit with dreams and hopes, which are lit with dreams. Also.
