Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Mini muffins are undeniably cute, but I don't make them often because those mini muffin pans are such a pain to clean.  I had some old bananas lying around so I decided to give in to the lure of the mini muffin.  These are great warm from the oven, and they also freeze well.  You could definitely replace the mini chocolate chips with finely chopped walnuts or pecans if you prefer, and whole wheat flour may be substituted for up to half of the all-purpose flour.

MINI BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Adapted from Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 medium very ripe bananas
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS 
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat two mini muffin pans with non-stick spray, or grease the pans.

2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, mash the bananas. Add egg, oil and vanilla; mix well. Stir the wet ingredeints into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips. Fill mini muffin cups 3/4 full. 

3. Bake muffins for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Salty Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are pretty great, and you can never really have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes.  While I have a couple of favorites, I am always up for trying something new.  These cookies have a nice chewy bite, courtesy of the ground oats, and a subtle salty finish.  My husband, and toughest critic, really enjoyed these.  I took the bulk of the batch to work and they were well liked by the masses, with many people commenting on how much they liked the touch of salt.

SALTY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Adapted from Grant

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 

3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more for finishing)

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 

- See more at: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipe/18100_grant_s_chocolate_chip_cookies/index.html#sthash.vzgG5aG4.dpuf

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more for finishing)
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, process oats until they become a coarse flour. In a bowl, whisk together the processed oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs.  Increase speed and beat until eggs are fully incorporated into the batter.  Mix in vanilla.  Slowly add the dry ingredients in batches (to avoid making a mess), and beat just until the last of the dry ingredients are mixed in.  Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Scoop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 11-13 minutes until just set around the edges.  Sprinkle warm cookies with a little extra salt and allow to cool on the cookie sheets for five minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.