Honey & Spice Banana Muffins

The first time I made this muffin recipe I found on the side of a cereal box, we were pleasantly surprised. They smelled amazing and were quite tasty. Since then we have tried several types of flake cereals and had them all work wonderfully in this recipe.

These delicious muffins are a great way to use overripe bananas or bran cereal. But you don't really need a reason to make them, they are so delicious! These egg-free muffins could easily be dairy free and gluten free as well. Using freshly grated nutmeg is great fun too. Hope you enjoy them!

1 cup bran flakes cereal
1/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter/margarine, melted
2/3 cup mashed ripe banana
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 375. In a small bowl, soak cereal in milk for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, then add cereal mixture. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1-2 minutes). Spoon into greased or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Cool 5 minutes; removed from pan. Yield: 12 muffins

Banana cookies

Sunday Dessert Treat

From my MBASA cookbook:
Banana Cookies
3/4 c. shortening (used butter)
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. smashed bananas
1 3/4 c. quick oats
(optional) chocolate chips

Cream butter/sugar, add egg, mix. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add to wet mixture, add bananas & quick oats, add chocolate cips. Bake at 400 F for 12-15 minutes.

So I got to watch these get made by my cousin & my kids. It was fun. Normally it's me with the 2 kids helping stir and add ingredients.

They taste like banana bread, but are so much easier to carry around! Plus you can call them "banookies". I think we have a new favorite way to eat bananas. :)

Using butter instead of shortening can have some ramifications - the cookies spread a bit more and may be crispier. But it worked fine with these cookies. For more info on it, The Prepared Pantry has a blurb about it at the bottom of the page in the link.

My MBASA cookbook comes from an organization I was lucky to be a member of for 2 years, while my husband got his MBA. It is one of those great group cookbooks that can't be bought anywhere. You have to know someone related to the group.