What is the world coming to?  I, the queen of gluten, am now making gluten-free muffins for Gluten-free Girl.  We (meaning G and I) are not big banana eaters, so I was left with a major supply of very ripe bananas for some stupid reason.  Why did I buy so many?  Can’t honestly say.  But, I started looking for ways to use up said bananas when I came across Baked Banana Oatmeal Muffins.  And, since I’ve been on a bit of a muffin kick just to show up those stupid scones, I decided this was the recipe to try.

I’m a firm believer in trolling the internet.  I find the best stuff.  This one jumped out at me, but when I went back to get the proper credit, I could not find the recipe again.  I’m such a maroon.  So, to whomever put this recipe online, I thank you and acknowledge that you are the g-f muffin queen or king.

3 cups rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup mashed bananas (2 – 3 very ripe bananas depending on their size)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.  In a large bowl combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  In a separate bow, mix together mashed bananas, eggs and milk until well combined.  Pour milk mixture over oat mixture and stir will to combine.

Evenly divide the oat mixture between all 12 muffing cups and then top each one with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until set and cooked through.  They will store nicely in the refrigerator for up to a week.

*  From the Recipe Box:

The original recipe called for 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, but you all know by now how I feel about nutmeg.  I do use mace now and again.  It’s really growing on me.

As these were baking, the aroma was absolutely intoxicating.  I could hardly wait to take them from the oven.  They aren’t sweet by any stretch of the imagination, but both G and I enjoyed them.

and remember:  A tiger doesn’t lose sleep over the opinion of the sheep.  Big kiss, Lynn

I love rhubarb.  I’ve also discovered Norwegians in general love rhubarb. It’s one of the first signs of spring in Moorhead, Minnesota.  People in Norway greet it with cheers and festivals.  There’s something about the sweet and tart aspect of rhubarb that totally appeals to everyone in Scandinavia.

So, why do we love rhubarb so much?  Because we’re smart, we have great taste, it’s good for you, it’s very versatile, it’s a hardy plant that comes back year after year.  My mom always canned rhubarb sauce each spring.  You never see it anymore, but that would be dessert.  It was fabulous.

The first book I ever bought written by Martha Stewart was Entertaining.  It was a glorious book with a fabulous idea on every page.  One of the recipes was for rhubarb bread.  I’ve loved that recipe since I first made it a zillion years ago.  These muffins are a riff on that recipe.  I’ll hunt up the bread recipe soon and share that with you as well.  You’ll love it.

4 tablespoons room temperature butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 to 8 ounces rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch chunks, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  With an electric mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth.  Beat in egg; add buttermilk and beat to combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add to butter mixture; beat until smooth.  Fold in rhubarb.

Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tin, dividing evenly among 12 paper lined cups.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

*  From the Recipe Box:

Now, I freeze containers of rhubarb.  If you put 2 cup ziplocks filled with rhubarb in the freezer, you always have rhubarb when you feel the need for a hint of spring.

and remember:  I dream of a better world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.  Big kiss, Lynn

I give up.  I’m done with scones.  I’ve tried several more recipes and the hockey puck industry has filed a cease and desist order on me.  They say I’m interfering with their ability to have a monopoly on hockey pucks.  I truly don’t get it.  I follow the instructions, I use the perfect ingredients, I don’t over knead.  Frustrating!  This is the second thing I’ve given up on.  Remember the baked donuts.  Oy!

So, I’ve chosen to move on.  I’m still looking at scone recipes, but I change the ingredients into muffins.  I’m usually not a quitter, but the whole scone thing has defeated me.  The next scone I was going to try was dried cherry.  This makes a great muffin.  Since the muffin batter is mildly sweet, adding the tart dried cherries is the perfect counter balance.  I didn’t have a full cup of dried cherries so I added some craisins as well.  We’re big craisins fans and like them in sweet and savory items.  Dried blueberries would have worked as well, but there weren’t any.  We are big nibblers.  C’est la vie!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

topping:

For the topping: Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well.  Set aside.

For the muffin:  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.  In another bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, oil and milk; mix well. Add egg mixture, cherries and pecans to flour mixture; stir only until combined. Portion batter evenly into 12 paper-lined or lightly greased muffin cups (2 3/4 inches in diameter). Sprinkle reserved crumb topping evenly over batter.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

*  From the Recipe Box:

That incredible fruit distribution is from mixing the cherries and pecans into the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients.

and remember:  If you knew success was a certainty, what would you do?  Big kiss, Lynn

(I know I wouldn’t waste it on donuts or scones!)

This recipe really takes me back.  Once upon a time, there were small 25 to 30 page cookbooks at every grocery check out.  I’m fairly sure Mom and Julie bought every one.  The cookbooks  would focus on a specific subject like all the Pillsbury Bake-off winners for that year.  This recipe came from one of those.  When I originally made it, the recipe called for a bundt pan.  The trouble with that is leftovers.  We don’t get the company we used to.  I find it much easier to freeze a muffin than 3/4 of a bundt pan.

This is from one of mom’s books.  She wrote ‘fantastic’ next to the recipe.  I have to agree with her.  The orange is subtle.  The cranberry is sharp.  The apple adds mellowness.  It’s refreshing and not at all heavy as muffins can be.  I wish I’d kept more of the books.  Like the mid-west church books, these come from a simpler past and have a wealth of good ideas in them.

Ingredients

• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 to 3 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 large apple, peeled and chopped

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk the egg, milk, orange juice, oil and orange zest; stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the cranberries and apple.
• Pour into two greased 8 x 4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

*  From the Recipe Box:

I did not peel my apple.  As if!!!!

I wanted a streusel top, so I mixed up 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour and 3 tablespoons butter until crumbly and sprinkled it over the top.  I wish I’d added pecans as well.

I baked my dough in muffin pans.  Optimally, this would have made 14 or 15 muffins, but I only have one muffin pan.  Bummer.  Next time I’ll make 6 muffins and one loaf.

I didn’t use to be a messy cook, but this is my total prep space.  I do have a great view though.

And yes, that is one half of a Death Star bowl.  I’m cool, I own both halves.  Eat your heart out.

and remember:  I am only responsible for what I say, not for what you understand.  Big kiss, Lynn