Banana Muffins

It's been some time since my last post but with lots going on I'm finding it hard to spend time on the computer.

And to top it all off I've been down in the dumps for a little while. The diner has been quite slow and I was getting worried, where oh where are my customers?
A new bistro opened up a little while ago and together with the new Tim Horton's, Magpie's has suffered. So I've been thinking of extending my hours, opening for dinner once or twice a week...wondering all the while, really? More hours? How am I going to pull this off?

I've decided against all that, I'm just going to stick to my plan, my hours, my menu. I have seen some increase in my revenue over the last week and I'm confident the novelty of the new restaurants will wear off and things will go back to normal, well somewhat normal...


Business aside, what else is normal for me? Baking muffins! It's been storming here...a nice day or two followed by huge winds and sideways rain, perfect baking weather, try these next time the wind and rain picks up in your neck of the woods.


Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins - slightly modified from the Joy of Baking website


1 cup chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe large bananas - approx 1 1/2 cup
1 tsp vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 F.

Butter or spray a muffin pan that bakes 6 jumbo muffins, however a regular 12 muffin pan will work.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and chocolate chips.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until just combined.

DO NOT OVER MIX, lumps are fine.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake about 30 to 35 for the large muffins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and cool for a few more minutes. With coffee, tea or a big glass of cold milk, this is a great "pick me up" .