Crunchy Banana Muffins with Coconut

I love this muffin recipe. You can make a batch and they stay fresh in the fridge for a week or so ready for a grab and go breakfast on your way out the door. They also freeze beautifully.

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3 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled plus 1/2 cup applesauce  OR 1 cup melted butter                                    
3 bananas- mash 2 with a fork and dice one
1 cup chopped pecans (you can also use walnuts or almonds)
1 cup granola- any kind is fine
1 cup shredded coconut plus 1/4 cup shredded coconut to top muffins with before baking.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
• Melt 1/2 cup of butter and set aside to cool. (or 1 cup if you are skipping the applesauce)
• Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• In a medium size bowl stir together your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
• Mash 2 bananas with a fork and chop the remaining banana

              

• In a separate bowl whisk the eggs lightly then add the remaining wet ingredients: milk, vanilla, melted butter, apple sauce, and the mashed bananas- save the diced banana for just one more step. 
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. There will be a few lumps. 

• Fold in the diced banana, granola, nuts, and 1 cup of the coconut. 

• Scoop into the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle the top with the remaining coconut.

• Bake 20 to 25 minutes in your preheated oven, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Makes 24 muffins

Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping

I love pumpkin muffins and love playing with recipes, so this is the result of taking the best parts of 4 different recipes and combining them into one great tasting muffin. The browned butter adds a nutty flavor to these muffins that sets them apart. They are perfect for a weekend breakfast.

1/3 cup of melted unsalted (sweet)butter, browned- Instructions below.
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
1 cup pumpkin
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Topping
2 TBS flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 TBS butter softened
1/2 tsp cinnamon

• Grease a 12 hole muffin pan
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Place the butter into a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Have a small heat proof bowl waiting next to the stove. 

• Allow the butter to melt and boil until it just starts to turn a light golden brown, stirring or swirling as it cooks to prevent burning. As soon as the color begins to change to the light golden color, immediately remove from heat and continue stirring for 30 seconds or so. The butter will continue browning from the heat in the pan. It should be a medium golden brown. 
• If it starts getting too dark, QUICKLY pour into the standby bowl to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.  

• In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients until the butter is incorporated and it is a bit crumbly.
  

• Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves together into a medium size bowl.
• In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk and vanilla. 
• Add these wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until barely combined. 
• Add the browned butter and stir until combined. Don't over stir. 
• Divide the batter up into 12 muffins. 

• Sprinkle a spoonful of the topping over the muffin batter
• Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean. 

• Cool in pan for 15 minutes and then remove the muffins from the pan to continue cooling.