Super Moist Banana Muffins

These are the best banana muffins I have ever eaten. They are so moist that you never need butter (although maybe a little is good anyways), and you will be wondering where they all disappeared to. What makes these muffins so moist is the amount of banana in them, as well as the melted butter. Buttery, banana heaven! These are also super quick and easy to make. You will have them in your hot little hands in under 45 minutes.

Banana Muffins

1 egg
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (3-4 large)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.

With a fork, mash the bananas. Make sure your bananas are very ripe, almost black. Also be sure to measure the amount of bananas with a glass measuring cup. Be as close as you can get to 1 1/2 cups so the muffins stay nice and moist. Mix together the egg, banana, and melted butter in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, powder, soda, and salt. Add this dry mix to the banana mixture and very gently fold in until just moistened and you do not see anymore white. Do not over mix or this could affect the texture of the muffins. Spoon the mixture evenly into the cups (about 2/3 to 3/4 full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

Enjoy!

* To make in a loaf pan, bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes.

Homestyle Bread

I feel like a lot of people think you can't have good homemade bread unless you spend all day making it, or if you have a bread maker. It would probably be a lot easier with a bread maker, but definitely not any better. And making bread by hand doesn't have to take all day. This recipe, from the Joy of Cooking for Fast White Bread, is simple and quick. It takes around 3 hours from start to finish, and most of that time is rising time.

This bread is so delicious warm out of the oven, or used for sandwiches, and even better made as French Toast! You will probably want to make two loaves because it will disappear so quickly.

Homestyle Bread

2 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package quick-rise yeast (active dry will also work)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup very warm water (115-125 degrees F)
2 tablespoons butter, soft or melted
1 to 1 1/4 cups bread flour

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rising Time: 1.5 hours
Baking Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2.5 - 3 hours
Yield: 1 loaf

In a large bowl or heavy duty stand mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the water and butter, and mix for one minute on low speed. Add more bread flour 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is moist but not sticky.

Knead for 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl (turn the dough to coat completely). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes or until the bread has doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough, form into a loaf (roll into a rectangle that is the width of your pan, roll up the dough, pinch the seam together, and pinch the side seams), and place seam side down into a standard size greased loaf pan. Lightly oil the surface and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk (30-45 minutes). Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the loaf for ten minutes, then reduce the oven to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 30 minutes. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when you knock on the bottom of the loaf. Let cool completely.

I found that this bread was much better after letting it sit overnight. It was still extremely moist. I stored it in an old bread bag and cut slices as needed. Delicious!

Hope you enjoy.

*Baker's Tips:
   - The type of loaf pan you choose will alter the finished product. A glass or dark loaf pan will produce a thick dark crust, whereas an light aluminum pan will produce a thin crispy crust. I prefer a thin crisp crust so I used aluminum. If you choose a dark metal or glass pan, it is advised to reduce oven temperature by at least 25 degree to avoid the outside cooking faster than the inside. Baking time should not be affected but check regularly to prevent burning.
   - For a photo tutorial on shaping a loaf of bread, check out this website:
http://www.thekitchn.com/basic-techniques-how-to-shape-97063