Banana Bread Muffins

This recipe is from a Cooking Light cookbook I've had for ages. The recipe makes the bread in a loaf pan, but I put mine into muffin tins. I like the portability (and one-portion mentality) the muffins provide. The bread had great flavor and wasn't dry despite being "light." Enjoy.

Classic Banana Bread (Muffins!)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preparation
-Preheat oven to 350°.
-Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
-Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. -Cool completely on wire rack.

Cooking Light
SEPTEMBER 2003

Muffins!

If you're not much of a baker, muffins are a great (easy) way to expand your skills. When I first began cooking and baking, I experimented with a few muffin recipes. One of those being Morning Glory Muffins. These are incredible and make excellent breakfast treats.














If you're not much of a baker, muffins are a great (easy) way to expand your skills. When I first began cooking and baking, I experimented with a few muffin recipes. One of those being Morning Glory Muffins. These are incredible and make excellent breakfast treats.

Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups shredded carrots
* 1/2 cup raisins (I used Craisins)
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
* 1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the carrot, raisins, nuts, coconut, and apple.
In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the carrot/flour mixture, just until moistened. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.




























Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
For something new, I recently tried a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. I. Am. In. Love. These were fantastic. My husband, who is a discriminating "sweets" eater, absolutely loved them.

Ingredients
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutritional Information open nutritional information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 197 | Total Fat: 7.7g | Cholesterol: 35mg














Both recipes come from AllRecipes.com