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Sunday, September 18, 2011

MAPLE ROASTED BANANA NUT MUFFINS

...the bananas that I got on sale because they were just past their prime

...the roasted bananas that members of the blogging community have been tempting me with

...the quart of maple syrup that Ben so graciously sent me (Thanks, Ben!)

...my husband's love for all things "banana nut"....bread, muffins....he's not picky

...a day alone in the house to do whatever I wanted & because I spent it missing my husband's company

Every one of those reasons played into the birth of these muffins yesterday.   Thankfully the local grocery story doesn't sell their bananas quickly enough so I find them very often marked down.  Yay me!  I love a good deal.  I originally bought the bananas to freeze for smoothies; but, because my freezer is full of slow roasted tomatoes and basil pesto and kale and because I couldn't get "roasted bananas" and the maple syrup off my mind, I thought it might be nice to surprise David with his favorite muffins - kicked up.  

So....roasting the bananas was easy.  I just did a quick "Dairy Queen Banana Split cut" on them.  Thank God for those life skills I learned as a teen, right?


I dotted them with butter, drizzled some of that yummy Ben's Grade B maple syrup over them and placed them in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  You should have smelled this house while they were cooking.  oh.my.  Amazing....


While the bananas were getting happy in the oven, I toasted some walnuts in a dry skillet.  Bananas and walnuts just go together, I think.


Once the bananas had cooled down, they were ready to be mashed up and used in my favorite banana muffin recipe that I shared with you here.


The recipe calls for mixing the mashed bananas with sugar, egg and butter.  I had some delicious butter and maple syrup left in the bottom of the baking dish and I could not let that go to waste. 


I poured it into a measuring cup and melted about 3 tablespoons more butter in the microwave to make the required 1/3 cup butter called for in the recipe.


So into the bowl with the mashed bananas it goes along with 1 egg, slightly beaten, and 1/2 cup brown sugar.  Because I had used the maple syrup in the recipe this time, I omitted the white sugar completely. 

In a separate bowl, I had mixed together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour and combined it with the wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed.  After adding the toasted nuts, I spooned them into pans lined with cupcake liners and placed into the oven for 20-25 minutes.  The original recipe usually makes 12 muffins.  I didn't fill mine up like I normally do and so I got 18 out of it.  Good thing that I did because.....    oh.my.goodness.


I will never make banana muffins any other way.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have an awesome week.



This post is being linked up here
with the Hearth and Soul Hop,
here with Let's Do Brunch and here
with Seasonal Inspiration at Crumbs and Chaos.


 Hearth and Soul blog hop at Zesty South Indian Kitchen
 


26 comments:

  1. I LOVE banana nut anything too and soooo will be giving the a try!! Yummy!! =)

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  2. I am a huge fan of banana nut bread, muffins, oatmeal...whatever it may be. That 1st image looks like it belongs in a Food Magazine! Yum! ~Love & Hugs, M

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  3. I love banana bread and your muffins look really, really good. what a great idea to roast the bananas. I bet the flavor is amazing! goodness now I'm drooling.

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  4. These look fantastic! I am definitely going to try this, probably when it's cold enough that we start having fires in the stove. I can imagine the amazing aroma in the house from those bananas and maple syrup roasting! I wonder if Yankee Candle has a 'Banana Maple Nut' candle. :-)

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  5. I have learned something new and WONDROUS today -- roasting bananas before baking them into bread. How positively brilliant, Candace! My boyfriend is like your husband, totally addicted to all things banana nut.

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  6. The most brilliant idea ever! Seriously, ever! to roast the bananas before putting them in the muffin mix. So trying this like this week for my MIL who is visiting this weekend! Thanks girl

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  7. Roasting bananas! What a great idea, I can just imagine the flavor. I have to try it. Wish I had a muffin or two right now.

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  8. Oh the maple makes it totally different. I love it!

    Lots of yummy love,
    Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
    www.mawhatsfordinner.com

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  9. You have outdone yourself with these, they look amazing! Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

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  10. Girl, you never disappoint on the recipes. What a great creation.
    Blessings!

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  11. I am not going to make muffins any other way either! Between the maple syrup and those pretty caramelized bananas...these just have to be the best things ever!

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  12. Great inspiration to use roasted bananas. I will take the recipe with me since we do have situations where the bananas get pass their prime all at once here. The roasting and maple combination is really alluring to my tastes buds. :)

    Happy week Candace!

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  13. Wow, girl you become an inspiration to me. I go bananas over this recipe. So yummy

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  14. Oh my, YUM! amazing! I have got try these. Have a great week, Candace!

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  15. I'm not much of a cook but I'm going to have to try these!

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  16. I do not even know what else to day except that you have just created a dream muffin recipe!! I am making these this week. You have created a brilliant method here. And I think I can see why you just may never make them any other way again!! I cannot wait for my house to smell the way yours did! ;)

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  17. These are great looking muffins - love the idea of banana/maple together. Thanks for stopping by my blog and taking the time to leave a lovely comment - hope you'll visit again xo

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  18. Roasting the bananas and toasting the oats has never occurred to me when I make banana muffins or bread. It's bound to add flavor. Love it!

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  19. Thanks for the great idea! That sounds so incredibly delicious- never would have thought to roast bananas for bread! :-D
    Thanks for participating in the hearth and soul blog hop this week!

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  20. Wow... roasted bananas? Love that idea.. I bet these muffins were sooooo incredibly good!

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  21. A very lucky and loved husband you have. what better reason to get a little creative than missing your spouse... love it. Caramelized bananas are delicious, add maple syrup and it's at a whole new level... scrumptious!

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  22. I am in for anything with roasted banana. This once is perfect. Love that you shared with Hearth and soul blog hop.

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  23. I'm always looking for a new banana recipe. I have maple syrup so I am all over this one. I need to hide the bananas so big boy doesn't eat them all!
    Have a great day.

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  24. These muffins sound amazing. I love how you roasted the bananas first - what a wonderful flavour that must give them. Thank you for sharing this fantastic new twist on banana muffins with the Hearth and Soul hop. I have chosen your recipe as one of my highlights from last week's hop and will link to it from my Hearth and Soul post tomorrow.

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  25. What a delicious idea! I have a feeling we would never get past the roasted bananas at our house. :) Thanks for sharing your recipe with the Hearth and Soul Hop.

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