Banana Nut Muffins

A few years ago I saw a lady in the early 1990's on Good Morning America, who worked out of a NY firehouse making these incredible muffins. So I made used that one recipe, copied down on a ratty piece of notebook paper for a few years, until I found that she published a cookbook with so many delicious recipes.  I've been hooked ever since! Many friends who have tasted my muffins think I'm a baking whiz, but I always have to tell them about a lady who turned to baking to keep off welfare. Her recipes are easy and delicious, but her story inspiring. When I get her cookbook out, the kids start gravitating my direction, just itching to get their hands on a fresh blueberry or banana nut muffin. 

Linda's Banana Nut Muffins

2-3 ripe bananas

1 C. oil (I use olive oil, but you can use what you have on hand)

2 eggs

1 C. sugar

2 C. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp mace (this is a stronger than mace).  If you don't have mace, use twice the amount of nutmeg - 1/2 tsp in this case.

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 C. chopped nuts (I like pecans)  (optional, but makes it more yummy)

Preheat oven to 350º.  Place bananas in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pureed or mashed.  Add the oil and sugar, blend.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Fold the dry ingredients together before gradually adding them to the wet mixture.  Add the vanilla or whatever you wish.  Fold in the nuts. Bake in a wax paper-lined muffin pans for 30-35 minutes.

Handy Hint: I use parchment paper cut up into squares  about 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 is a good size.  The muffins don't stick to the paper and allows you to fill a tad bit more than regular muffin/cupcake paper liners.  Pretty cheap as well.  Just form the paper in the muffin hole space and add about 1/3 C. of the muffin batter.