Yes, we have more bananas..
Brunch. What a fabulously promising word, evocative of lazy Sunday mornings, which is what breakfast here at the Fish Creek House ends up being. Guests relaxing and deliciously carefree, to share the kind of simple and comforting food that makes you feel like a kid again. Runny eggs on toast. Bacon and potatoes. Blueberry pancakes. Puffy French toast.
We add banana pecan muffins to the menu and round that out with freshly squeezed orange juice, your choice of tea or coffee (free refills!) . Needless to say, we usually have leftover stuff to eat for about a week afterwards, but that's a clear benefit
I like them best fresh out of the oven (after the necessary cooling down), but of course can be reheated in the oven the next day as well.
- 1 C sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 C salted butter
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/4 C milk
- 2 C all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 C pecans, toasted and chopped
(Yields 18 small muffins.)
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F), and grease medium muffin tins (1.5'' or 4 cm in diameter) or line them with paper.
In a large mixing-bowl or in a food processor, cream together the sugar, the egg and the butter. In a separate bowl, mash together the bananas and milk. In another separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with banana-milk mixture in two parts, stirring by hand until just combined (don't overmix or your muffins will be a little dense). Stir in the pecans.
Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 40 minutes, or until the muffins are nice and golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes then turn out on a rack to cool.
Healthy Cornbread Muffins
Ever since i left New York, i've been searching for the perfect "NY corn muffin". These come close
f you're not watching the calories, you'll get a moister muffin if you use 1/4 cup oil instead of the 1/4 cup yogurt + 1 tbsp oil called for below.
Recipe
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup ap flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.
Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, yogurt and oil. Pour buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with batter.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until tester just comes out clean. Do not overbake!
Turn out to cool on a wire rack.
So I'm on a muffin jag here ... Guests love these in the bread basket and we let them take the extras (if there are any!) on the road
Pumpkin Muffins
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
6 T butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 T baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Preheat oven to 400. Beat the eggs, milk, brown sugar, butter and pumpkin. In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. From the recipe: "Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir just enough to moisten and combine. The less you stir the muffins, the lighter and more tender they are. Lumps are okay! Pour the batter into greased muffin pans about 2/3 full and bake for 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean." Makes 18 muffins.
Apple Pie Muffins
Another great use for apples that have lost their crunch is to make a batch of Apple Pie muffins. The recipe comes from Canadian Living's Best Muffins and More publication and are a hit every time I make them. They are moist, studded with apple chunks and topped off with a crunchy nut streusel.
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups diced peeled apples
Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter, melted
Topping: In bowl, stir together brown sugar, pecans, flour and cinnamon. Drizzle with butter, tossing with fork. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk together egg, buttermilk, butter and vanilla; pour over dry ingredients. Sprinkle with apples; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Spoon into large greased or paper-lined muffin cups; sprinkle with topping. Bake in 375 F oven for about 25 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch. Makes 16 muffins.
These muffins can be enjoyed any time and can be frozen and eaten later. Try one warm with butter - they're great!
Just Dessert Party Oreo Muffins
To ring in the New Year, my sister-in -law Alise would hold her annual "just dessert party... Got these from her... Needless to say those "diet resolutions" started January 2.
The muffins came together nicely and I added an extra smidge of milk to get the batter a little softer. I would recommend leaving the cookie part in big chunks. Crumbs just dissolve and with the big chunks, the muffins stay black and white. The muffins, surprisngly, weren't very sweetand had a dense crumb. . They went over well with the kids and I just added melted white chocolate on top to decorate and give them some extra flavour.
Recipe
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup Oreos, crushed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin tins.
Beat together the egg, milk and butter. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the Oreos. Fold in the Oreos; batter will be lumpy. Spoon into prepared muffin tins and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
