The Home Cook: Banana Muffins

First and Foremost...

Happy Birthday Tim!

I love you!

In honor of the man of the house's birthday he's getting taken out for steak and a pumpkin pie (his favorite) is sitting in our fridge.(Pie...not just for Thanksgiving.) But beyond all the movie watching, birthday prep-ing, steak planning and pie making last night, I also made some banana nut muffins.

What can one say about Banana Nut muffins? They're about as American as...well, a banana. Since the United States is one of the top consumers of the yellow fruits. I imagine there are a lot of brown spotted bananas sitting on counters across, stashed away in freezers or misplaced in the refrigerator. Mostly I figure that they are waiting for they day when they make that jump from temping fruit to key dessert ingredient/inspiration. Besides being paramount to frosted bars and loves of bread, the banana after life most likely finds it form in greased or lined muffin tins; lovingly folded with some toasted nuts and pinch of spice. Or at least that's where it landed last night.

After perusing the net, several cookbooks and some family recipes I decided that it was time to break out the Sugar Bitches, a cookbook I got last Christmas. Their version of the classic drew my attention because they incorporated sour cream. Often found in tandem with the banana the net result is usually something extra moist with some added tang. Perfect. Deciding to toast the pecans before folding them in was easy, since the toasting would boost the nutty flavor and help them keep their bite. Gently folding the batter together and sliding them into the oven I waited for the little cups to cook while watching The Guardian with Tim. (Which is a superb movie...go watch it. Now!) Twenty minutes later the little golden bites were done and I had breakfast for the next two weeks covered. The muffins are superb, moist and dense with a wonderful bite, they have just the right flavor of sweet banana tempered with the hint of sour cream and the crunch of the pecans.

Banana Muffins
from Sugar Bitches: just desserts Cookbook

1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Shortening
1/4 cup Butter
2 Eggs, beaten
3 ripe Bananas, mashed
3 Tablespoons Sour Cream
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped (Optional: toasted)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups All-purpose Flour
Confectioner's Sugar (optional)

Grease a muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Blend together shortening, butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, bananas and sour cream. Sift together salt, soda and flour; fold into banana mixture. Fold in nuts.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean, let rest in pans for 10 minutes and remove to cool completely on a wire rack.(Optional: Cool and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.)