i've found my calling

What is it, you ask? Apparently, I have an innate talent for using baby food in baking. (Actually, now that I think about it, perhaps my innate talent is laziness and this is my way of accommodating for that. Hmm.) Anyway, if you'll recall, I first tried it with carrots and carrot cake, and now I've gone and done it with bananas.



I love banana bread. It's always so moist and flavorful. Unfortunately, I rarely have bananas lying around that I consider to be past their prime. You see, folks, to me, these bananas are practically perfect for eating:


Ergo, I don't usually have any bananas with which to bake. When I saw some banana baby food on the take-home table at work, I had an epiphany and snagged it with some yummy banana bread in mind.


I wanted something different than your everyday, typical banana bread. Muffins were an obvious choice, as I've become obsessed with my mini muffin tin. I've had some chocolate-covered ginger pieces in my cabinet for quite some time (they were a Christmas gift from Big Brother...), and I decided that they might be a nice addition to some of the muffins, or at least make them unique.


Results: Aside from a slightly different texture, these muffins are just as moist and delicious as normal banana bread muffins. The bonus is that I saved at least 5 minutes of peeling and mashing time. I know, I know--kudos to me, right? The chocolate-covered ginger bits are quite the nice surprise--crunchy and zingy. Ginger's no cinnamon, but it ain't half bad.


See the unsheathed ginger? What a thing of beauty.

Speaking of ginger, one of our dogs back home in Virginia is named Ginger.


Isn't she a cutie?

Bonus! This is my submission to Not Quite Nigella's Banana Bread Bake off.


Baby-fied Banana Bread Muffins
(adapted from Joy of Baking)
(makes 24 baby baby-fied banana bread muffins + 6 regular-sized muffins)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups banana baby food
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup chocolate-covered ginger pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line muffin tins with paper cups.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and white chocolate. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the pureed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery muffins, which is bad.) Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake about 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then remove muffins from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.


(Look at that hunk o' brown sugar. Guess I didn't mix so well...)