banana muffins

Delish!  
Perfect for after-school snacks
and for tucking into lunch boxes!
(Yes, still using Christmas muffin liners!)

Check out Claire's perfect Banana Muffins.


My boys love muffins - and I love the ease with which they travel.  Our two favorites are today's post, banana muffins from Cook With Claire, and our pumpkin muffins.  A couple of browning bananas were calling me yesterday, so in the early afternoon I quickly pulled the ingredients together and they were ready as an after school snack.   (Happily consumed over homework and again after a friendly game of football.)

My DF Claire's muffin recipe is the best.  Her technique is simple, her ingredients wholesome and her pictures the perfect tutorial.  My only adjustment was to leave out the chocolate chips (oh, no!) because we were all out.  Make muffins with your kids - so simple and satisfying!

pumpkin muffins

Warm and cozy breakfast!

On our first snowy morning of the new year, I felt ambitious enough to bake these pumpkin muffins. We found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen - easy, moist and the cinnamon sugar topping makes them extra special! 

Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients 

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)

2 large eggs

1 t pumpkin-pie spice*

1 c sugar

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
cinnamon sugar for topping (or 1 t cinnamon + 1 T sugar)


*you can make this at home with 1/2t cinnamon, 1/4 t ginger + 1/8 each nutmeg and cloves  - 'Thank you' to my DF Karen for this wonderful tip!

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or line muffin pan.

2.  Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, spice, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl (or the bowl of your standing mixer).  

3.  Combine the flour and baking powder.  Incorporate into the wet ingredients.  Divide the batter among the muffin cups (about 3/4 full). Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

4.  Bake about 25-30 minutes (use wooden toothpicks to determine doneness). 

5.  Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then on a rack until room temperature.