Banana NutMuffins

This recipe is derived from one given to me by the owner of a bed and breakfast in Sedona, Arizona. Works great as muffins, and in a bread pan. Don't use a mixer for this one - keep it mixed by hand to achieve the proper consistency. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups flour (do not sift)
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  
• 3 very ripe bananas*, mashed
  
• 1/2 cup sugar***
  
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1/2 cup oil
  
• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  
• 1 cup shredded coconut
  
• Extra walnuts chopped for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
   
2. Mix dry and wet ingredients separately.
   
3. Put dry mix into wet mix slowly while stirring.
   
4. Portion out into muffin tin** with papers or greased with flour and butter. I recommend using a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop with trigger to do this evenly. Each tin should be filled about 2/3 full. 
   
5. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of each.
   
6. Bake 20-25 minutes.

* No one likes waiting for bananas to go bad to bake banana bread! If your bananas aren't ripe enough yet, throw them in the oven or in a toaster oven for 5 mins until the skins turn brown. Then slice them open down the side and they're perfectly mushy!

** If you'd prefer to make banana bread as a loaf, bake for 45-55 minutes. You'll want it to come out with the top very brown; when you insert a wood skewer or toothpick, it should come out clean. This time is for an aluminum cake pan; I recommend this one from Nordic Ware or this one from Fat Daddios. I do not mess with the dark nonstick pans anymore; they're the worst and never come out right for me.

 *** This recipe is not super sweet, however for reference it is a bit sweeter than my traditional blueberry muffin recipe. If you'd like, you can cut down the sugar to achieve a less sweet result. To reduce sweetness, I recommend using 1/4 cup white sugar instead of 1/2 cup white sugar and seeing how you like it before reducing further.