Bluegrass Saturday...Muffins and Mari

I headed to work at 8am this morn. When I got home shortly after noon, Mari was here taking care of Sebastian since Nate had to work today too. Then the 3 of us went to get some Aveda goodies, coffee and Noodles and Co. 

Who's Mari?...Oh, she is one of my besties and she is the shit.

On any given week night, you can often find the two of us watching crappy reality TV while eating macaroni and cheese and Stove Top instant stuffing...yup, at the same time...like, the best dinner ever.

Anywho, after we got home, Mari and Sebo both napped and I did laundry and started making muffins. Super yummy muffins. 

I have eaten these muffins a couple times...but have never made them. It is a recipe from Nate's aunt. Banana Bran Chocolate Chip Muffins. 

The recipe calls for oat bran...this is harder to find then you may think and that's why it took me so long to make the damn muffins. I thought I found it once, I was really excited about it. I came home and Nate pointed out the fact it was oat bran FLOUR. I had noticed this when I bought it but assumed it wouldn't make a difference. Nate assured me it would. 

Buzz kill. 

I finally did find oat bran...just plain oat bran all by its lonely self. 

Wrong                                                                Right

Then the muffin making starts.

Part way through, Mari and Sebo joined me in the kitchen.

Sebastian loves hanging out in his highchair staring at everything...

...and I love staring at his face.

The recipe doesn't call for muffin cups but I decided to use them so I can easily grab one (or two) when I am running out the door.

Of course Magnus wasn't far from the food as well.

Once the muffins were done...Mari and Sebastian spent some quality time on the couch.

Another good Saturday followed by what I expect to be a good Sunday and Monday...I don't work until Tuesday! 

Banana Bran Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yields 18 muffins

1/2 cup butter (room temp.)

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup ripe bananas

1 tsp salt

1 cup oat bran

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter, vanilla and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in oat bran. Blend dry ingredients alternately with mashed bananas into creamed butter/egg mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Do not over mix. Fill greased (or lined) muffin tins about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Yum.

I tossed about a dozen in the freezer in hopes that I can throw one in the microwave on rushed work mornings. Not sure if they freeze well...we will find out. I will post an update to let you know how that goes.