Today is National Muffin Day and it reminds me of what happened long ago when I first started working full time as a low-level attorney at a high-power firm, right after law school. All the other associates came to work carrying coffee and cartons of breakfast, which they proceeded to eat at their desks. Eggs, and everything with it.
I was always a yogurt woman, even back in the day when Dannon was the only one you could buy and there were only about 5-6 flavors.
But then someone told me about the blueberry muffins from the deli downstairs and unfortunately I tasted one. That was the end of my days of never even thinking about whether I gained a pound or two. I added a blueberry muffin to my yogurt breakfast.
Every day.
I gained a quick “freshman ten” and that was no small thing because back then I was really slim.
Alas, I gave up the morning muffins our of sheer vanity. But not my love of them.
Over the years I’ve occasionally made some at home. Blueberry. Cranberry-Orange. Pumpkin Spice. Zucchini. But it’s usually when we have sleepover guests because the muffin indulgence and the memory of how quickly they added to my girth has tempered my desire to eat them as often as I would like to.
Buying muffins is a no-no for me because the store-bought ones have become so ENORMOUS since the days when I had those luscious things from the deli.
I prefer the old-days size. The kind that comes out of a normal household muffin tin.
I made these Banana Muffins recently. They’re a lot less sweet the the typical muffin and have a vaguely robust hint of molasses. I’ve made these with stirred, plain yogurt for the times I didn’t have buttermilk on hand.
If you love muffins as much as I do, there are plenty of recipes on my blog. Type “muffins” in the box under “search my recipes” and you can find them.
Btw, if you give away food for Purim, these make a lovely gift.
Banana Muffins with Buttermilk or Yogurt
1-3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons old fashioned oats
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 9 muffin tins. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, buttermilk molasses, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix only long enough to combine thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Scatter the oats evenly on top of each muffin. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Makes 9