Banana-Nut Muffins

It’s always a wonderful feeling when a simple recipe yields fantastic results. I recently purchased a used Southern Living cookbook titled “The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook” for two bucks. :) I told Keith I couldn’t not buy the book. I mean it’s Southern Living’s ultimate cookbook…it says so in the title. Lol, that got a chuckle out of him.

Anyway, I was flipping through the book, looking for a new recipe to use all the ripe bananas sitting on our counter when I saw the banana-nut muffins recipe. Simple and unpretentious, I wondered if the muffins would turn out just bland and one-dimensional. However, I love simple recipes and this one was calling out to me to give it a go.

My kiddo decided to join me on this baking jaunt. :) Although the kitchen always ends up messier and the prep time takes longer when that happens, the time we get to spend together is absolutely priceless. Alex was a fabulous helper – mashing up the bananas, chopping the nuts, and getting all the dry ingredients together. Surprisingly, the muffins turned out really delicious for such a simple recipe. They were moist, light, not too sweet (just the way I like my muffins), and had the perfect amount of banana flavor. This recipe is a keeper! Enjoy!

{Slightly adapted from the Banana-Nut Muffins recipe in The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook}
1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed ripe banana
½ cup milk
⅓ cup extra light olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts plus more for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with baking cups (tip: spraying baking cups with cooking spray will prevent muffins from sticking to the paper). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center, and add egg, mashed banana, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir just until moistened, then stir in the walnuts. Fill the muffin pan, dividing the batter evenly. Sprinkle the top with more chopped walnuts (optional). Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer muffins to a cooling rack.