Tyler's Banana Nut Muffins

The Ultimate Banana Nut Muffin 

(Minus the Nut add the Peanut Butter)

I have been missing baking so bad since COLLEGE took over. I do not think that I will take a full load this summer. And speaking of summer I just found out that I am getting a family vacation to ( enter drum roll here please ) JAMAICA baby!

Things are happening all around me here and I sometimes feel like I am more of an observer than a participant but oddly enough I got to put on my skull apron and I felt soooo very comfortable this evening. The only thing missing was a nice glass of Champagne. I was so happy to get the escape I much needed and desired. And with that came aging bananas and a room full of 6th grade students who just finished their state mandated exam. I decided to make the cupcakes that I so rudely neglected this Easter. 

These are the best Banana Muffins EVER! Tyler knows his stuff... I change it up a tiny bit but every single time they come out amazing no matter what changes I incorporate. This time I just did plain banana because 6th graders are picky. I did however ice them with Peanut Butter Icing and topped with a Mini Hershey Bar. The triad of Banana, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate.. Hell Ya!

I got the original recipe here. Trust me on the changes, this recipe can do almost anything. And the smell... oh my gosh!

Next week I am hoping to be done with my major papers and can get a better chance to soak in springtime. My hydrangea trees are beginning to bloom and it makes my heart happy to see the rebirth. I think I have been sitting in front of the computer too long and now my thoughts are wandering. So.... Enjoy!

Banana Nut Muffins

2 cups AP Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 overripe bananas

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans  (this is where I like to change it up either with PB chips, chocolate chips, or even omit)

Preheat to 375. Line muffin tins.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set Aside

Mash 2 bananas with a fork so they still have a bit of texture. With wire whisk bananas and sugar for about 3 min (Tyler says like you mean it!)  Add melted butter, eggs, and vanilla scraping the sides once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in other bananas and nuts with rubber spatula. Spoon into muffin tins about half way and tap on counter to release bubbles ( I don't do this because I typically lose my attention span about now )

Bake 18 to 20 min. Cool in tin for a few minutes and serve. These are best warm!

For mini muffins, like I did, 9 to 11 min.

Wordless Wednesday

Yes, Thursday again... sorry!

Pink and Tink!

INTRODUCING

The newest members of our Motley Crew..... 

Pink and Tinker Bell (AKA... Pink and Tink)

BBQ Chicken.. The Ultimate Way

Another Reason to LOVE Tyler

I do hope y'all tried my #1 Cookie Recipe as I did (over and over again!)

This week I did the Ultimate BBQ Chicken and I will say this: WOW!

I have never done a brine or (you may want to sit) baked chicken on the bone. I know; How is that possible right? Well, I hate to deal with meat as a whole but meat on a bone... that's too much for me. I feel too primal and yucky doing it. Guess I am either a vegetarian inside or a princess... or perhaps both. I will say that if I do this recipe again I will do boneless chicken breasts. I think everyone in my crew would like that better. The BBQ sauce was perfect.

This recipe is the ULTIMATE. The smell is sooo amazing. A definite repeat for me. 

The entire recipe can be found here. Till Next Week Ladies!

Per request for the Tyler Goddesses!

My favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ok girls; here it is! I am not sure if it is the triple threat of 

Milk Chocolate

Semi-Sweet Chocolate

or White Chocolate

(The Triple Threat)

That makes me love these babies or the size. They are 1/4 cup just like Tyler's but I think they have more of a brown sugar flavor. 

Or it could be that when I have deprived myself of sugar for a long period of time these are the chocolate chip cookies I go to. I wished I had two of each recipe right here to compare (damn the luck!) but imagination and drool will have to do. Sorry I don't have any pics to go with these.. think I might make a batch tomorrow. The hubby is coming home and has eaten all of Tyler's cookies so maybe he needs mine to come home to. Ha Ha. Thanks for all the requests Girls!!

Jumbo 3 Chip Cookies

4 cups AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips ( I usually increase to 1 cup... yes thats 3 total cups of chips!)

1/2 cup chopped nuts ( I usually omit as I don't want anything semi healthy in my cookies!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs (one at a time) and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts ( ha ha please!) 

Drop dough by level 1/4 cup measuring cup 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. 

Bake 12 to 14 min or until nice golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 2 min and then to rack to cool completely. Mine don't usually get to the "cooled completely" phase. Enjoy!

Damn Groundhog!!

Looks like we are suffering from the shadow of the groundhog. I hate winter. I do not find much appealing about it other than seeing how things can emerge from harsh conditions. I love spring, summer and fall but winter, nah! So this is what we woke up to this morning. I know I don't have it bad like people in the midwest so I am not going to continue to complain. I do have a favorite quote:  "To take notice of the beauty that surrounds you is to take notice of your existence in life" This weather makes me reflect to that and suck it up right!

Chips Ahoy Mattey!!!

Tyler's Big Fat ..... Chocolate Chip Cookies! 

My choice for Tyler this week was his Chocolate Chip Cookies. I know many of the girls have done this one with rave reviews. Chris had to take a class across country this past week and what better way to avoid getting tired than an old fashioned sugar high from these ginormous cookies. They were amazing... and YES I had SOME (not one, oh no.... SOME!!!) These cookies are my second favorite. I am sorry to disappoint... They are delicious. You truly should try these. I am a chewy cookie fan so I only baked them the minimum time but, if you go to the food network site they have a very good video on making these; with no other eye candy than Tyler himself. There was another person in the video but who paid attention to her! If you use a 1/4 cup to measure out the cookies you won't get many out of this recipe but they are big enough where you won't need many. Check out the thickness of the batter too; it was unbelievably thick. 

Happy Baking and don't miss out on these ones... They hit the spot. You can get the recipe here and you can watch the video here.