Liz Zygadlo

This was originally to be baked in a 9 x 5 loaf pan, but I like to make the muffins instead, especially for the kids.

Food Editor’s Note: These are delicious and a bit different from the typical banana muffin or bread. They are lighter and fluffier, with a milder banana flavor. Perfect for kids and all muffin-lovers, who will gobble them up! I'm sure they can be frozen, but they have disappeared from my kitchen too fast to test that out!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening or butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Beat together until fluffy: shortening or butter, sugar and eggs.
4. In a measuring cup, mix together 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus enough milk to equal 1/2 cup total.
5. Alternately add milk and flour mix to shortening/sugar mix.
6. Add mashed bananas.
7. Stir in chocolate chips.
8. Drop batter into lined muffin tin. (Hint: I like to use an old-fashioned ice cream scoop with the spring release to make nice even muffins.) I fill the cups pretty full.
9. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until tops are firm.

Yield: 12-14 muffins

Note: For a loaf, grease the pan and bake 50-60 minutes.

Enjoy!

Liz Zygadlo is the Food Editor's sister-in-law and a fantastic baker. She has made these muffins or the loaf version for innumerable gatherings of family and friends. Liz credits the original version of the recipe to our sister-in-law's mother, Harriet Chodosh, but she has tinkered with it over the years.