Chunky Monkey Muffins

This is another one of those recipes you can use if you have ripe bananas sitting on your counter. They don't taste like banana muffins, though. They are very easy to throw together and VERY good!

Chunky Monkey Muffins (Makes 12)
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3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup mashed bananas (approx. 2 or 3 bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease bottom of muffin pans or use paper muffin liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add mashed bananas, sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Fold in chips and chopped nuts. Fill muffin cups full. Bake 20 - 25 minutes.

**I ended up with 18 muffins, but I didn't over-fill my muffin cups. I also used regular sized muffin tins and not the jumbo sized muffin tins.

Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread

Sometimes, I end up with bananas that look like this on my kitchen counter. Not very often, but occasionally.



I know that for some of you, these bananas may be just the right speed for your tastes, but for me, they're well past their prime for eating. Not wanting them to go to waste, and having time last weekend to actually do something with them other than toss them into the freezer, I made banana bread.



This bread is always so moist and delicious! The recipe makes 2 loaves, so I usually keep one at home and take the other one to work.

Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread
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Makes 2 9"x5" loaves

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon (can try 1 t)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (or macadamia nuts)
1/2 C grated coconut (optional)
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (approx. 5-6 medium)
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
3 teaspoons vanilla (can try 2 t)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9"x5" loaf pans.

Combine first 5 ingredients and stir in nuts. Combine wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and combine until just moistened. Divide batter between the 2 loaf pans.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Note: Good with grated carrots substituted for the pineapple.

Enjoy!

(c: