Love is... muffins.

Alex asked me what I was doing in the kitchen.  I told him I was making muffins... his reply... 

"Because you love me very much!"  (with a grin and a little hop)

I make about a batch a week.  Good healthy breakfast for my boys.  

Modified from my M-I-L's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins, usually made in mass around Thanksgiving time. For Stan, Thanksgiving is not complete without them. I liked the base recipe because it didn't require butter, like a traditional banana bread.

Don't be afraid to experiment with these. I've tossed in yellow squash, butternut squash, wheat germ, almond flour, chopped dried cherries, almond extract... Pretty much, you can't go wrong with these muffins!

Banana Split Muffins

Preheat oven to 350, line or lightly grease muffin tins.

Combine in microwavable bowl and warm, but don't cook (1 minute on power 8):

1 c oats

1T multi-grain hot cereal mix

1 c milk

Add to oat mixture:

2 mashed bananas ( or 3/4-1 c squash, applesauce, pack pumpkin)

2 eggs

1/4 c oil (I use olive)

1 t vanilla

Stir with a whisk, then combine with wet mix above:

2 c flour (half all-purpose and half whole wheat or other)

1/2 c sugar 

1 T baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t ground nutmeg (especially good with the banana)

Stir until just combined then add:

1/2 c chocolate chips

1 c chopped walnuts

Stir less if you like cakier muffins. Stir extra for a chewier, bread-like texture. 

Fill muffins 3/4 full and bake 20 minutes at 350F. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks. Once cooled, store in airtight container. Makes 23... yes, 23... I'm always 1 shy of 2 dozen. I'm not about to screw with the recipe to make it 24.

I've been enjoying the "If You Care" unbleached muffin liners in the health market at HyVee. They act like parchment paper - have excellent release and stand-up. And they're a lovely brown-wrapper sort of color. I won't buy anything else now. I'm spoiled!