TIKA'S APPLE BANANA WALNUT MUFFINS

Tika's Apple Banana Walnut Muffins (or bread)

  Moist and delicious. A favorite with scrambled eggs and juice, a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.
 What is pictured is smaller muffins than you might make, but had young kids over and they can't
 often eat a large muffin.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup Crisco

2/3 cup sugar

Beat til fluffy (about 3-4 min, scraping bowl twice)

Add:
 ½ cup mashed banana

1 cup applesauce

2 Tbsp room temp butter                                                   

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla

¼ cup oatmeal

3 Tbp sour milk **

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

2 Dashes salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix well.

 Add flour last and mix only until incorporated.

1 cup flour

Stir in ½ cup chopped nuts

**(In a small cup or bowl, 2 ½ Tbsp milk, ½ Tbsp white vinegar, add to cup, stir, set aside for 10-20 min)

Stir in ½ cup of any of the optional ingredients listed below:

OPTIONAL:  I love dates in this recipe. You can also add an assortment of dried cranberries, raisins, chopped fresh cranberries, raisins, chopped apples. Add some chocolate chips if you must, just don’t tell me about it.

Greased pans or cupcake papers,      350*        
 Small muffins as pictured, bake for 16-18 minutes, Yield 20-21 muffins  

Normal sized muffins about 20 min, Yield: 18 muffins

Bread I have to guess, but I’d say 40-50 min.  Toothpick test it to be sure.

Pssssssst.  Don’t tell anyone, but this is actually a pretty healthy snack/treat.  Lots of good oatmeal and fruit.  I tell the little ones that they’re cupcakes.  They’re so moist and delicious, that they don’t miss the icing.  They didn’t even ask where it is.  Not one of them is impressed that I made the recipe up, but they just think the muffins are delicious and sometimes want a second one.  I make them small because sometimes the little ones get bored and can’t eat a whole muffin.  At the moment, David and Steffen almost 5 and 6 1/2, are running through the house with a second muffin that they “stole” from the kitchen.  Steffen is yelling, “These cupcakes are delicious!”

Boy, I love lying to kids for their own good.  Does a grandma’s heart good.                   7-24-2012