Banana Crunch Muffins

This isn't the first time I've made this recipe.  The first time I made it the muffins turned out awesome.  But I didn't have time to do pictures and quickly snapped a few and they turned out terrible. The pictures were so bad I didn't even post this recipe!  So I have some over ripe bananas on my counter that I quickly have to snatch up to use because bananas go quick in this house.  So quick in fact that it is difficult to make banana bread or banana muffins because everyone is always stealing all the bananas.  I guess I should be grateful they all love bananas so much, right!?  These muffins are amazing.  This is an Ina Garten recipe that I saw on Food Network a while ago.  I absolutely love the crunch of the granola and the texture the coconut gives them.  Plus, I love pecans so being able to use them in anything makes me happy.  Of course, no one in my house likes coconut, granola or pecans but me, so looks like I now have a dozen muffins all for myself.   

 

 Banana Crunch Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1/2 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1/2 cup small-diced pecans
1/2 cup granola
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Granola or shredded coconut, optional for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a muffin cups with paper liners.  Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.  Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with granola or coconut, if desired. Bake for 18-22, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.