Banana Carrot Bread

I've been on a mission to use up miscellaneous ingredients lately. When I found this recipe, I was able to check two items off the list. I wasn't sure about the carrot banana combination, but it was delicious! I'll absolutely make this every time I have a couple spare carrots.

Banana Carrot Bread
-2 c. flour
-1/2 t. salt
-2 t. baking powder
-1/4 t. baking soda
-1/2 t. cinnamon
-1/4 t. cloves
-4 T. softened butter
-3/4 c. granulated sugar
-2 eggs
-2 ripe bananas, mashed
-1 t. vanilla
-2 medium carrots, grated

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Beat in mashed bananas and vanilla.
3. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir in the grated carrot.
4. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350*. Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning the loaf out onto a cooling rack.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

After a two week hiatus, I'm back in the kitchen. And a busy two weeks it's been--preparing for Blake's visit, a wonderful long weekend, a bit of a head cold, and the beginning of midterms! There were about a half-dozen different recipes I had been planning to try in that period, so now that I have a little bit of free time, I'm hoping to squeeze in as much baking as possible.

First up--and not on the list of planned experimenting--banana chocolate chip muffins. Why? A few very ripe bananas left over, and some new silicone baking cups to try (the Silpats inspired a craze, I suspect)!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
-1 1/2 c. flour
-2/3 c. sugar
-1 1/2 t. baking powder
-1/4 t. salt
-1 c. mashed ripe banana (~2 large bananas)
-1 large egg
-1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
-1/4 c. milk
-3/4 c. chocolate chips

1. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In smaller bowl, mix banana, egg, melted butter, and milk.
3. Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture until combined. Add in chocolate chips.
4. Pour into muffin cups. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes, until golden on top.
(yield: 12-15, depending on size of muffin cups used)

The bananas that I was persuaded to keep...

The new silicone baking cups (yes, red to match the kitchen).

Yet another silicone success!