Pumpkin-Banana Muffins

Recipes from ME, and "Kitchen Keepsakes & More Kitchen Keepsakes"

This says Pumpkin-Banana Muffins, but the recipe for that evolved from another recipe: There are two recipes that I use for Banana Bread. This first one I got from "Kitchen Keepsakes & More Kitchen Keepsakes" - a cookbook I own that I love, only I haven't tried nearly enough recipes out of it yet! - I used this recipe for a long time, it's great how it is, or it's also a good recipe to manipulate to make new recipes, or you can make it a little healthier. I'll put the different variations below.

But, the "Martha Stewart's Banana Bread" is another recipe I've since discovered that is really excellent and for Banana Bread as-is, it's better than this one. I wouldn't bother making this one healthier - It's so good and I think it if you're going to make it you have to accept the consequences!

So back to this recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in 3 Tbsp. cold water
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Makes 1 Loaf

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and bananas. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 9-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Variations:
For one thing, I usually make muffins out of this recipe rather than a loaf. Adjust for the size of muffins - if they're larger you'll probably want to bake for 30-40 minutes, medium sized probably 20-30 minutes, and the little ones that are fun for kids probably need 15-20 minutes. Just use your best judgment.

To make healthier (as in less calories) you can substitute the applesauce for butter, Splenda for sugar, egg substitute for eggs, and wheat flour for the regular flour. I find that a good middle ground is to use half of the normal ingredient, and half of the healthier version (I wouldn't bother with that with the eggs - just go one or the other) - but I use a small muffin tin for more portion control.

The "Pumpkin-Banana Muffins":
I started manipulating this recipe because I was trying to sneak more veggies into Adrienne's diet, and that is when the Pumpkin-Banana Muffins were created!

Use the recipe above, only use half of the banana that's called for and canned pumpkin for the other half. That's the Pumpkin-Banana muffins in the simplest form, but a few variations to them are to use the same substitutions mentioned above to make them healthier, and/or add some yumminess with chocolate chips. I would choose the chips according to the size of muffins you're making. If you're making the little kid sized muffins then use the little chocolate chips. You can always go lighter on the chips and still have a fairly healthy snack for the kiddos (and you!)

Here is the re-vamped recipe:

Pumpkin-Banana Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened / or 1/2 cup applesauce (or half of each)
1 cup sugar / or 1 cup Splenda (or half of each)
2 eggs / or egg substitute equivalent of 2 eggs
1 1/2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 can pumpkin
2 cups flour / or 2 cups wheat flour (or half of each)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in 3 Tbsp. cold water
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips (mini for mini-muffins)

Quantity varies depending on the size of muffin tins (fill to 2/3 full regardless of size)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, pumpkin and bananas. Beat in remaining ingredients. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for time suggested for muffin size - if they're larger you'll probably want to bake for 30-40 minutes, medium sized probably 20-30 minutes, and the little ones that are fun for kids probably need 10-20 minutes. Just use your best judgment.