Seriously...again?

I seem to be sick again. Every 3 years I go through a cycle where I catch every bug out there. This seems to be that year. So once again, my cooking has been at a minimum this week (sorry). I did manage to take the goddaughter for sushi and to her first ballet. Unfortunately the ballet sucked and I fear I may have ruined that particular cultural experience for her. Nevertheless, the kids a trooper and we will try again with another ballet hopefully in the near future (maybe the Nutcracker?)

Cate over at Sweetnicks posted a muffin recipe a couple of weeks back that had me drooling. Banana, espresso and chocolate chip muffins - I mean, could you imagine such a thing? Unfortunately I never seem to have overripe bananas at my place as I eat one or two a day. I hid a couple though so I could attempt this recipe on the weekend.

I made 12 of these guys, and oh my god. They were easy, tasty and gone in 2 days. I only ate 2. S ate however many and the goddaughter snuck a couple out of the house with her. I would up the espresso powder though the next time I make these - there wasn't that much of a coffee flavour I found. Or my espresso powder is getting old and needs to be replaced. For something that was in the oven 10 minutes after I decided to make them, you can't really go wrong.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe courtesy of Sweetnicks

1-1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup milk

1 large egg

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips (I used dark)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill each cup about 3/4 full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Move the muffin pan to a cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the cooling rack. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Yield: 12 muffins