Top o' the muffin to ya...

Caroline commented on my Greek Tortellini Salad post recently that she had bookmarked it to try.  That gave me a giggle, as at that very moment I had a printed copy of her Banana Date Muffins recipe sitting out on my counter, waiting for me to have time to get them made.  I love that about blogging...'meeting' people you would never otherwise run across, and sharing ideas, experiences, and, yes, recipes.  

I adjusted the recipe to substitute for my lack of brown sugar and self rising flour.  My adjustments are in parentheses.

Mix together wet ingredients:

·        2 bananas...overripe is best

·        1/2 cup vegetable oil

·        2 eggs

·        1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir together dry ingredients:

·        3/4 cup soft brown sugar (I used white sugar plus 2 Tbsp molasses)

·        1/2 tsp cinnamon

·        1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (I used all purpose flour plus 2 tsp baking powder)

·        ½ tsp salt

·        1 tsp baking soda
·        4 oz chopped dates

Mix wet and dry ingredients just till combined.  Fill muffin tin and bake.  

(I had five smallish bananas to use up, so I doubled the recipe.)

The first batch I baked at 300° F, which is the conversion I figured for the Celsius temp listed in Caroline's recipe.  I'm not sure if my conversion was wrong or if my oven thermostat is off.  They spread out a lot and fell.  But they tasted really good...maybe a little too sweet...I may have measured inaccurately as I was doubling the recipe. 

These look like cookies on a cookie sheet, huh?  Nope those are my muffins.

I turned the oven up to 350° F and tried again.  The second batch turned out much better looking.  I will definitely be making them again.

And now, in honor of Caroline's fun 'beauty empties' posts, I present...

...my empties.  I used up the last of each of these items making these muffins.  Will I buy them again?  Why, yes.  Yes, I will.  :)