Banana Nut Muffins

I absolutely love breakfast food. Once a week we like to cook breakfast for dinner, not only because we love breakfast food but also because it is quick, easy, and affordable as well.
Muffins are a great way to make a lot of food out of your over ripe bananas. I like this recipe better then some of the others I have tried because it has chunks of the banana in it rather then just all mushed up ones. It helps to keep the muffins extra moist I personally think that they have more of a banana flavor.
Throw out your old banana muffin recipes because this one is a keeper for sure!

I got this recipe off of Food Network from the show The Family Cooks Together with Tyler Florence.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 overripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter 2 muffin tins.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture.
4. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
6. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.
8. Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. 9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

**Randi's Side Notes**
~ One way to make muffins easier to get out of the tins is to use cupcake liners. Yes buttering and flouring the tins will work, but occasionally it doesn't. Cupcake liners will always work and make it WAY more easy and take up less time.
~ When mixing the bananas and the sugar, really do mix it for the 3 minutes. It makes a huge difference in the how the muffins turn out.
~ To freeze these simply store in a freezer bag and heat up directly from the freezer using the microwave.