Banana Crunch Muffins

I have found that it's really hard to come up with creative recipes using bananas. At least ones that my kids will eat. Searching my recipes and the internet usually gets me the usual Banana cake, banana splits, banana smoothies. This time I decided to search Food Network. I found this recipe by Barefoot Contessa, one of my favorite people on Food Network! The site even includes a clip from her show letting you see how she makes the recipe, which I find immensely helpful. These muffins took less time than I thought and came out beautifully.

Banana Crunch Muffins

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 salt (I omitted since I used salted butter)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 extra large eggs (I used large eggs)

3/4 cup whole milk (I used skim)

2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 cup mashed bananas (2 bananas)

1 cup medium diced bananas (1 banana)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup granola (I used Just Bunches cereal ground up a bit and 1/4 cup oats)

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Dried Banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pans with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Line with cupcake liners.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into bowl of an electric mixer. Add the cooled butter and blend on slow speed. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas in a bowl. Add the mixture to the flour and butter mixture in the electric mixer bowl. Mix on low, scrapeing the sides as needed. Do not over mix.

Fold in sliced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each cup to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola or coconut, if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 18 muffins.

"As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists."
-Joan Gussow