Banana Cranberry Muffins

Hope everyone had a fun and festive Halloween. I know we did. I think we were on a sugar high ALL WEEKEND. Now that we are officially in November, all I can think about is Thanksgiving. It is my absolute FAVORITE holiday. The turkey, the pumpkin pie, the cranberry sauce. What is not to like?

Every year E and I go to Los Angeles to celebrate with my family and every year my mother makes her famous banana chocolate chip muffins. I have been trying to perfect them for years. When I have made them in the past they were never as moist as hers. Well friends, I have finally done it! I have replicated my mother’s muffins. I think the trick is using more ripe bananas. This time, I substituted fresh cranberries for the chocolate chips. They added a nice tartness. I cannot wait to make them for my family this year!

Ingredients:

Margarine, ½ cup = 1 stick

White Sugar, ¾ cup

Egg, 1       

White Flour, 1-½ cups

Ripe Bananas, 4, mashed

Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon

Baking Powder, 1 teaspoon

Sea Salt, 1 teaspoon 

Vanilla Extract, 1 teaspoon

Hot Water, 1 teaspoon

Fresh Cranberries, 1 cup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mash bananas, add baking soda and hot water then set aside.
3. In the second bowl, cream margarine and sugar.
4. Then add egg and vanilla and mix till creamy.
5. Add all dry ingredients (excluding the fresh cranberries).
6. Mix well.
7. Add mashed bananas then fresh cranberries. Fold them in gently.
8. Divide mixture into a 12 muffin tin.
9. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.