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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Banana Mascarpone Muffins with Chocolate Chips

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I am not exactly good at sitting still. Okay, I’m awful at it. Not only am I always doing something, but I usually feel the need to be doing two things at once. I drive my sister Julia crazy every time we decide to watch a movie because I can’t help but be on my computer at the same time. It’s something I need to work on, admittedly. I thrive on busyness, but there’s something to be said about sitting still at times and, more importantly, being present. It’s a work in progress, and one that will likely be forever in progress, but in my defense, it’s not always a terrible thing!

Take these muffins, for example. They were the byproduct of my inability to sit still. I found myself with an extra thirty minutes on a gloomy Sunday afternoon and rather than camp out in front of the TV, I leapt at the chance to create in the kitchen. I started with a Martha Stewart recipe for banana muffins, after spying three browned bananas hanging out on my countertop. I changed up a few things to make them my own, throwing in some mascarpone and chocolate chips, and was pulling warm muffins out of the oven twenty-five minutes later. 
These were so good warm that I was worried I’d be disappointed a few hours later. Much to my delight, they were just as good that evening and the next day. I think the mascarpone might have been the secret ingredient here, and these were some of the best banana muffins I’d ever tasted. These were moist but not greasy, and each bite basically melted in my mouth. It’s hard to sit still when there’s potential for so much greatness waiting in those spare chunks of time!

One Year Ago: Baked Black Beans with Chorizo
Two Years Ago: Okra, Zucchini, and Tomato Saute
Three Years Ago: Pear and Blue Cheese Spinach Salad

Banana Mascarpone Muffins with Chocolate Chips
adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
-3 large ripe bananas
-3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
-1/2 cup canola oil
-1 large egg
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-1 cup whole-wheat flour
-2 tbsp wheat germ (optional)
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 cup mascarpone (can substitute sour cream)
-1 tbsp vanilla extract
-1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 15 cups in muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
2. Beat bananas in the bowl of a mixer until mashed. Add oil, brown sugar, and egg, beating until smooth. With mixer on low, stir in flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, until combined.
3. Stir in mascarpone and vanilla extract. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Spoon batter into muffin-liners, filling about three quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.