Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Still no photos.  My camera is on its way to Texas where I hope they will determine it's a lost cause and send me a gift card so I can buy a new one.  And not a Kodak.  Ever again.


1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/.

CHANGES I MADE:

• I used butter instead of oil.  One of the comments on the website suggested that, and I'm low on oil.
• The recipe calls for plain yogurt, but I never have plain yogurt in the house.  Instead, I used vanilla.  It was a very good substitution.  I may try using banana or mocha yogurt sometime.

THINGS I LEARNED:

• Muffins are terrific.  Okay, so maybe I already knew that, but I have renewed my love of muffins with this recipe.
• Muffins are easy.  And fast.  And terrific.  I may have mentioned the terrific part already.
• Melt the butter if you decide to subtitute it for the oil.  Otherwise, it's all lumpy and doesn't incorporate as well as you might think.
• A little extra banana and a few more cocolate chips never hurt anyone (except, perhaps, people allergic to bananas or chocolate).

OVERALL OPINIONS:

Bill: Loved them.

Emma: Really liked them a lot. 

Georgia: Big impression.  Georgia wanted to eat these muffins for every snack and dessert until they were gone.  Granted, she's a sweets-loving kind of gal, but that's a pretty darned good reaction even for her!

Me:  Loved them.  Loved, loved, loved them.

Georgia's preschool class: Overall favorable opinion.  I was reminded the day of the Halloween party that I was supposed to bring the snack for the party, so I ran home, threw the batter together and baked the muffins in record time.  They were still warm when I served them to the class.  The only kid who didn't seem to like them was the kid who doesn't like chocolate chips.  I know.  I thought it was weird, too.