Due to the fact that when I buy bananas I tend to also have an accompanying banana conspiracy, I also tend to have a lot of spotted and blackened bananas. As seen earlier with the eleven dozen Monkey Muffins in all their banana-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip goodness there were already a lot of bananas consumed in the baking process. However, I still had an gallon zipper bag of blackened banana mush in the fridge waiting for baking consumption. There is no rest for the weary when the banana conspiracy starts. There is only cover-up if you are willing to put them in the freezer. That only lasts for a little while. Eventually, there is discovery as the bags of bananas do become very evident as they spill out of the freezer upon opening the freezer door. There are two options, (1) do not buy bananas or (2) bake away the evidence. I opt for the baking option most of the time. Rarely do the bananas make it to the freezer for very long.
Typically, I make banana nut bread or banana nut muffins, however upon searching for the nuts to chop for the batter I discovered there was a severe lack of pecans in the house. This was fine as it meant that I would be able to consume the muffins if I chose to do so. I will confess that banana bread is not my favorite. I will admit, however, that this recipe is by far one of my favorites so I will eat it if given the chance. That being said, I knew that there would be a blandness factor because the nuts were missing. What would I do? How about make it better? Everything is better with chocolate, right? Sure. I added miniature chocolate chips. This is not a new thing. I have done this before. I have done it even with the nuts in it. It is not a regular thing, however. Imagine the boys’ surprise when they see the chocolate this time. Here is the batter ready to go after making a quadruple batch of the coveted banana nut bread sans the pecans. What can I say, I had four cups of mashed bananas to use up or throw away. I opt for the baking option. It might yield a lot of muffins but I would rather the bananas be consumed than throw them away.
Again I really like my little cookie scoop for filling the mini-muffin cups on the mini-muffin pans. I have decided that if I have to choose between mini-muffins and regular muffins, I lean toward the mini-muffins most of the time these days. It might be my oven and its inability to back consistently most days but mini-muffins are just so much fun and mighty quick.
Two dozen mini-muffins in one pan is also a nice turn around on one fifteen minute baking session. I make fairly quick progress even though my aging oven is slowly playing an unfair hand in the baking department. At least it still bakes. I cannot complain there. It bakes. I can still cook and bake. It does not entirely burn things. As long as I do not ask it to do more than it is capable of doing, I get good results. I have to remember to not ask it to do more than it is capable of doing in its old age – no more loaves of quick bread, it must be muffins instead.
Eleven dozen more muffins. That is eleven dozen Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins to be exact. Yes, you read that right, I baked twenty-two dozen mini-muffins in less than twenty four hours and lived to tell the story with a smile on my face. Now what will I bake next as I already admitted that banana bread was not my favorite. I do have some cream and half and half in the refrigerator that needs to be used up. Only time will tell…
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