Banana Crumb Muffins

I decided to make this recipe because I had just purchased a bunch of 5 ripe bananas from the supermarket on sale for a dollar. Not wanting to just make banana bread I searched for a different banana recipe. These muffins came out to be absolutely delicious and served to be my mom’s breakfast for a while.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

2) In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3) In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

4) Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My philosophy is that you should cook lean, but bake fat. I’ve tried countless chocolate chip cookie recipes over the ages but have never been completely satisfied until now. After looking all over the internet for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, I’ve landed on Alton Brown’s “The Chewy”. This recipe is truly different than the rest as it calls for the butter to be melted as well as a high brown sugar to white sugar ratio, causing the “chewyness” of the cookie. I made these cookies for my coworkers and they were a hit!

INGREDIENTS
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2) Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

3) Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4) Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.