Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

In my last co-op basket from www.bountifulbaskets.org, I got a lot of bananas.  I decided to use up a few bananas with this recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins.  The muffins turned out delicious with the soft, fluffy consistency of a cupcake.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (I used 3 small bananas)
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate chips and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt, mashed banana and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Overall

These muffins are the perfect breakfast on the go or snack or even dessert.  And with everything on hand, they’re very affordable to make.

Frugality

I had everything for these muffins on-hand.  It doesn’t get more frugal than that!

Look Forward To

I have some tomatoes and spinach to use.

Plum Coffee Cake Muffins

I had an abundance of plums that were ripe and ready to use.  So I searched for recipes until I found one that looked promising.  I found this recipe at http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/plum-coffee-cake-muffins/ and made some adjustments to it to suit my tastes.  The most time consuming part of this whole thing is cleaning the plums.  I ended up doubling to recipe because of my wealth of fruit.  The end result is a great muffin with chunks of fresh fruit.  Delicious!

 

Plum Coffee Cake Muffins

Ingredients

¨           3/4 cup sugar

¨           1 tsp ground cinnamon

¨           2 cups flour

¨           1 tbsp baking powder

¨           1/2 tsp salt

¨           1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

¨           2 eggs

¨           1 tsp vanilla

¨           3/4 cup milk ( I used skim)

¨           1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

¨            About a tablespoon of cinnamon sugar (enough to cover 12 muffins)

¨           3-5 ripe plums, depending on their size, pitted and cut into small chunks.

 

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.   Spray or line 12 muffin cups

3.   In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

4.   In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, milk, and melted butter. (Make sure the melted butter is cool before you add it.)

5.   Fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter evenly.

6.   Divide one half of the batter evenly among the 12 lined muffin cups.

7.   Add a layer of plum pieces to each (I used about 6 pieces per muffin).

8.   Divide the remaining half of the batter over the layer of plums.

9.   Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over muffins. 

10. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Leave to cool in the muffin tin for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from tin and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Overall

This is a great muffin recipe that is easy to make.  I am glad to have found such a delicious way to use up my excessive amount of plums.  The muffin has a great cinnamon taste that makes it ideal for breakfast or dessert.

Frugality

The plums were $1.27 from my local food co-op.  I had all of the baking ingredients on hand. 

Look Forward To

I’ve been eyeing a recipe for broccoli cauliflower cheese bake with panko topping.  I also have a few artichokes to cook soon.

Green Chile Souffle

I used this recipe as breakfast potluck item at work.  Its definitely a crowd pleaser and easy enough to assemble early in the morning. 

Green Chile Soufflé

Ingredients

¨            12 eggs

¨            8 ounces of shredded Monterey jack cheese

¨            2 cans green chiles

¨            16 ounces sour cream

¨            Pam cooking spray

 

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.   In large mixing bowl, mix eggs until scrambled, add sour cream, continue to whisk until well blended.

3.   In 9 x 13 glass baking dish, spray Pam cooking spray and then layer cheese and green chiles on the bottom of pan.  Add egg mixture. 

4.   Cook for 35-40 minutes, until edges are brown and egg puffs up like a soufflé.

Overall

This dish is very tasty and easy to prepare.  It is ideal for a brunch where you are bringing a dish to share. 

Frugality

The eggs were $.88 and the cheese was $1.88 both from Fry’s.  The sour cream was $2.50 and the green chiles were 2/$1.  The total cost for this soufflé is $5.26. 

Look Forward To

I still have 2 artichokes, a broccoli, a cauliflower, some lemon, some onions and 12 plums to work with. 

Honey Cornbread Muffins

I can’t sleep so I decided I wanted to bake a quick something.  After reviewing what ingredients I had on hand, I set out to make honey cornbread muffins.

Honey Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients

·  1 cup yellow cornmeal

·  1 cup flour (I used wheat)

·  1 tablespoon baking powder

·  1/2 cup granulated sugar

·  1 teaspoon salt

·  1 cup whole milk

·  2 large eggs

·  4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

·  1/4 cup honey

 

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.     Into a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, oil, and honey. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.

3.     Place muffin paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Evenly divide the cornbread mixture into the papers. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden.

Overall

This is a great, easy recipe for delicious honey cornbread muffins.  I like mine with a bit of extra honey, slightly warmed.  Enjoy!

Frugality

These muffins were virtually free since I had all of the ingredients on hand already…the joys of baking! 

Look Forward To

Doing something with all of these plums, nectarines and tomatoes…

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This recipe was inspired by a recipe I found on www.allrecipes.com.  I made some adjustments and this is what I came up with.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• ½ cup melted milk chocolate chips
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips.

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave ½ cup of chocolate chips until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.
2. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients:  sugar, cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and 1 cup chocolate chips
3. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the dry ingredient mixture. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.
5. Allow loaves to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan.

Overall

This was simply delicious….the best bread I’ve ever made in fact.  It reminds me of cake!

Frugality

The zucchini was on sale at Sprouts for $0.88, the chocolate chips were $2 from Target and everything else was on hand.