A Treat from Nicole's Mom
My mom didn't cook or bake very often, but my friend Nicole's mom did. I once raved over some banana-chocolate chip muffins she had made, so after that she would send Nicole to school with a baggie of muffins for me whenever she made them. One of the few signs that I would grow up to like being in the kitchen was that I was the resident banana-bread baker when I was a kid. Whenever the bananas would turn black, I'd get down the bread pan. This time I decided I'd make muffins with my mushy bananas, though, taking a lesson in portability from Nicole's mom.
I used a recipe from Basic Baking and substituted chocolate chips for the nuts. Next time I think I'd cut down on the spices, though; they kind of just compete with the chocolate. Maybe even just use cinnamon. Anyway, I whisked together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder, some salt and 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Separately I mashed three overripe bananas with 1/4 cup oil, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 egg. Mixed that into the dry ingredients, added some chocolate chips (maybe about a cup), then baked the muffins in a regular-size 12-cup muffin tin in a 375 degree oven for 18 minutes. They're not very sweet muffins, almost seem kind of healthy, but then there's the chocolate. I liked them better at room temperature the second day.
Mmmmmm...that sounds delicious! Now that we are out of the house my mom doesn't bake nearly as much.
Now, my mom would cook- but she wouldn't allow us to cook- but your mom would! I have so many memories of going to your house and spending hours in the kitchen making cookies (usually after convincing poor Chad to ride his bike to the store to get us the dough, which we would usually overeat before making any!) Concoctions like Kraft Mac and Cheese with Spaghetti Sauce- we were usually cooking while eating our weight in chips and salsa.
It was so wonderful to have an escape into such a relaxed environment- as I remember the only requirement was that we share with the rest of your family :)