The title of this post is also the name of Ina Garten’s latest book. We are a little in love with The Barefoot Contessa in this house, and have started making more of her recipes, especially ones that have a short ingredient list.
The second recipe here is from her new book, and the muffin one is from Simply Recipes.
Banana Nut Muffins
I had some leftover bananas last week and also wanted to make some muffins to get me out of a breakfast rut of a lot of cereal and yogurt. Bananas + nuts always in the freezer + want fresh muffins + an easy recipe without a mixer = let’s make Banana Nut Muffins.
I went to some of my favorite sites and also Googled the term for recipes, and found the best one at Simply Recipes. I used this site for my gingerbread cookies, which were so cute and perfect. It also had a short list and no need for a mixer, so I wanted to try.
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed by hand
- 1/3 C melted butter
- 3/4 C sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
- 1 C chopped pecans (or walnuts)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350*. Mash bananas and mix butter into them in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Add baking soda and salt. Add flour and mix until incorporated. Add pecans.
- Pour mixture into muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins.
These muffins were delicious. They make the house smell like banana in a good way, they had chunks of little banana in the muffin, and the nuts gave a perfect sized crunch for texture.
They aren’t the healthiest banana muffin, with butter and sugar, but they’re good! Approved by Jeffrey, and he doesn’t really even like bananas.
Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad
- 10 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- 1 pound tomatoes, diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/3 C chopped fresh parsley
- 1/3 C fresh mint
- 1/3 C basil, julienned cut
- 1/2 C lemon juice (2 large or 4 small lemons)
- 1 T minced garlic (3 cloves)
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 C “good” olive oil (we think it’s funny she always says “good.” just use what you have)
- 8 oz “good” feta, diced
- Toasted pita
- Place scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, mint, basil in a large bowl and toss to combine.
- In separate dish, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp pepper. Add olive oil while whisking. Pour over salad and toss.
- Add feta and toss. Serve with toasted pita.
i have How Easy Is That and made the roasted figs the other day…they were delicious!!
I’ll have to look for that recipe! The one we tried was good too.
Mmmm I have some bananas that need to be used ASAP! I may be making these!
That vegetable salad definitely caught my eye.
Chickpeas!
Marci:
I made these muffins with a slight variation earlier today substituting blueberries for the nuts; and reducing the sugar and butter by half. Some members of my family don’t like nuts in their muffins. At any rate, they came out delish! Thanks for the posting of this very easy recipe. Helen
Glad to know that variation worked!
Every one is happy here with the muffins!:)