Banana Nut "Jumbo" (Heart-Shaped) Muffins

For BM7, I have chosen the theme "Cooking From Books". Like any other food blogger I am a cook-book hoarder. I have 100+ books that I have collected over a decade. Whenever I am upset I flip the pages of a cookbook. They are an instant moodlifter. How about you? ?

Coming to this recipe - Recipe adapted from "Gifts from the Kitchen(ISBN: 978-1-4075-7901-6)". When I used to work in NYC, I always used to grab big fat muffins from Guy and Gallard, Starbucks and other small cafes. I always felt they are more like my kinda muffins because of their size- they are very filling and it kept me going until lunch without any hunger pangs.

About a month ago when I went to Costco to pickup my usual stuff, I saw a guy loading up big trays of Jumbo muffins. I thought to myself, why don't I ever make those at home. Hmm, why is that? Could it be because I don't have a Jumbo Muffin Pan. Perhaps. The next logical thought in my mind was if ramekins would do double-duty as muffin makers.??!!??? The following day, I was putting my thought into action. Some 30-minutes later, Voila`: Moist,sweet and nutty Jumbo Muffins ready to savored.

Ingredients(For 9 "Standard" Muffins or 3 "Jumbo" Muffins):

• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Over-ripe Bananas, roughly smashed
• 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Toasted Chopped Walnuts
• 1 Egg, at room temperature
• 1/4 Cup Butter, melted or 1/4 Cup Yogurt ( I used Butter this time)
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil

Tool:

• 7 oz/0.21 liter capacity Heart-shaped Fluted Oven-safe Muffins

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Sift Flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl.

• Cream eggs, sugar, vanilla extract together in another wide bowl. 

• Add the melted butter and olive oil and combine with an electric mixer.Add the roughly smashed bananas to the wet ingredients.

• Transfer the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.Mix only till combined.

• Add the toasted walnuts and mix gently.

• Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins.

• Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees F. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for 5-7 minutes till the tops are browned.

• Cool the jumbo muffins for 10 minutes before enjoying it with a dollop of butter/jely and a steaming cup of Black Coffee/Tea.

Makes 3 "Jumbo" Muffins or 9 "standard" muffins.

Enjoy!