Perfect (and Beautiful!) Banana Muffins

I love bananas and eat them almost daily.  However, when it comes to banana flavored stuff, I'd prefer to pass.  I don't know what my problem is, but I do not like banana bread, banana muffins, etc.  My sister is even worse--she doesn't like bananas in any way, shape, or form.

Because I am a big banana eater, I often end up with leftover bananas that turn soft and brown on my counter.  I hate to throw them out because my husband LOVES banana bread, muffins, etc.  I had four well-aged 'naners on my counter the other day and decided to try out a recipe I found in Nigella Kitchen (see Monday's Cookbook Corner for a book review).  The result?  Muffins that were easy and fast to make that looked amazingly beautiful.  My husband loved them, as did my parents.

Make these when you want something homemade that doesn't take a lot of time (if you like bananas, that is!)

CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS

3 very ripe or over ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin cups.
• Place bananas in the bowl of a freestanding mixer; turn on to mash up the bananas.
• With the mixer still going, add the oil followed by the eggs and sugar.  Combine well.
• In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, and baking soda). Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, beating gently.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups (note: the muffin cups will be filled up, almost to the top).
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until muffins are dark, rounded, and peaking (as Nigella says) "proudly."  Let cool in the muffin tin  for a few minutes before taking the muffins out of tin and cooling on a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

NOTES:

• These really are some of the easiest, prettiest muffins I've made in awhile
• My husband has requested the addition of walnuts and/or chocolate chips the next time I make these--I think both sound right!
• Since my husband and I are on Weight Watchers, I ran this through their recipe builder.  One muffin is about 6 points...in case you care!