No Fuss 30 Minute Banana Muffins

Sometimes you just need a recipe that's classic. Not messed with. Tried and true. Kind of like your favorite jeans, you know? The ones you know make your butt look awesome even after eating a burger and fries the night before. Or that perfect lipstick that somehow magically goes with every outfit in your closet. Oh and especially that black sweater from The Gap you got about 8 years ago....

For me, it's these muffins. Since I wear scrubs to work, it also means minimal makeup, jewelry and no nail polish. I'm usually only in my street clothes for about an hour a day on the days I work, so everything else is workout clothes and scrubs. And I'm cool with that! It's my no fuss, no muss clothing routine, and it's a great relief to not have to worry about what goes with what, etc. I usually channel that energy into recipes... I'd much rather figure out what ingredients go with what spices, meats, breads, and sauces.

But there are those times.... don't deny. You've been there. You walk into the kitchen, make a pouty face, and sigh. "Ugh, do I really have to cook? Can't things just mysteriously chop, blend, and bake themselves? Ok, ok. Pretend I'm not hungry.         Dang. Didn't work. Ok, what's something that's quick and doesn't require a lot of research and thinking?"

That's today at my house. I'm back on night shift, so I'm grumpy, tired and adamant that the only clothes I wear lately revolve generally around some sort of bathrobe or pajama set. Seeing that night shift not only wears me out, but drains my desire to do anything creative in the kitchen or on the blog, so I thought I'd share these banana muffins. Normally I'd want to make some non-fat, whole wheat, oatmeal infused, or anything else a little more fancy. Not today- these are just the plain jane, original, no thinking version.

This is a solid recipe! Not the sweetest, nor the richest tasting banana muffins, but for the 30 min start to finish, they're hard to beat! They're incredibly portable, tasty and keep for about 2 weeks, and freeze well, so I'm always pleased with the versatility of them. So if you're feeling lazy but want some freshly made goodies, look no further!

Banana Nut Muffins

slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

1 3/4 cups AP flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk (I used soymilk to make it dairy free)

2 large, overly ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon banana flavoring extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add wet mixture to dry, along with nuts if you're including them, stirring just to combine. Be sure to not overmix, or the muffins will be dry and tough. 

Heat oven to 400° F. Grease muffin or mini-muffin tins well with butter or oil.

Spoon the batter into cups using a spoon and spatula, or a small disher if you're using mini-muffin tins. Let the batter rest in tins for 5 minutes before putting them in the oven. 

Bake for 16-17 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin. Cool muffins in the baking tin for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife along the rim of each tin, then use an offset spatula or knife to gently remove each muffin. Serve warm with butter spread.