Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Muffins

I know, it’s almost midnight and I’m waiting to write this blog post. But that’s what happens when you absolutely crush a weekend. From when it was quitting time on Friday afternoon up until 10 minutes ago, I’ve been nonstop go-go-go. Very productive, very fun weekend all around. And I am tired. But Sunday blog posts are my thing right? So I have exactly 26 minutes to finish this bad boy before I turn into a pumpkin. (Also I wrote most of this before I left for a concert tonight, so don’t think my blog posts are written in less than half an hour … this is a full hour of wit coming at you).

I was looking for baking inspiration this morning. I was just standing in my kitchen, staring at 3 mushy bananas waiting for inspiration to strike. Just staring at those mushy bananas. In my pajamas. And all I could think of was that song “Bananas in Pajamas, are coming down the stairs, Bananas in pajamas are chasing teddy bears.” Nope. Can’t put those jammies in a muffin. And then it hit me. Jamz. Jelly Jamz. (the nickname Colleen and I use interchangeably for eachother). Peanut Butter Jelly Time. And then I couldn’t get that song out of my head. Peanut buttah jelly time. Perfect for a breakfast muffin.

So I decided to make a banana muffin and add in peanut butter, blueberries and then make a peanut butter brown sugar crumb topping. Boom. So I mixed up the batter, crossed my fingers, and when these bad boys came out of the oven, oh baby. We have ourselves a winner.

Ingredients:

Muffin:

  • 3 bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping:

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper and spray with nonstick spray.

Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together mashed bananas, sugars, egg, oil, vanilla and peanut butter. Add in the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

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Step 3: Fold in the blueberries until evenly incorporated, but be careful not to smush them. Using a large cookie scoop, place even scoops of dough in the greased muffin tins.

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Step 4: To make the crumb topping, mix together brown sugar, flour, and peanut butter. Cut in butter until the topping is crumbly. The easiest way to do this with a pastry cutter, but a fork works as a convenient alternative. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of topping on each muffin.

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Step 5: Bake at 375 degrees for about 18-22 minutes. No need to even let these cool before you enjoy!

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Seriously bursting with banana and peanut butter flavor, with tons of fresh blueberries. So delicious!

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So where to begin with this week and weekend of epic productivity. Last week work was cray cray again, because we were in the final week before launching this website that has been in the works for over 9 months. Someone had the bright idea to plan the launch for Friday the 13th at midnight. But despite that, we launched the site successfully and did a bunch of testing Saturday morning. So this Tuesday night we flip the big switch and customers can see it and order their prescriptions, which is pretty cool.

My aunt and cousin who were down the Cape last weekend, finished out their New England adventure in Boston on Thursday and Friday. So we met up for dinner in the North End Friday night, and then I had to take them to Mike’s Pastry for the real deal Boston dessert — Cannoli. I mean just look at that. And after a week of eating zero carbs, that was like heaven on earth.

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Colleen and I started watching Orange is the New Black on Saturday afternoon, which was fun. We only made it through 2 episodes so far. I spent the rest of Saturday afternoon and evening putting up painters tape and then starting to paint the room formerly known as Colleen’s bedroom and now known as the office slash guest room. I got up early this morning and put on the final coat, and if I do say so myself, I think I did a pretty decent job.

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But the real homeowner victory of the weekend, is the new patio in my backyard. It’s been a few months in the works planning this and being educated on the fact that since we have a very narrow alley way as our only access point to the backyard, that things are crazy expensive because of the fact that it takes so long to get the material in the backyard – not like in the burbs where they back a truck into your backyard, dump the materials and can get started right away. So we worked with our contractor and came up with this awesome awesome deck as the final product. Could not be happier. We just have to do a little bit of landscaping around the edges, but I see a LOT of grilled pizza + vino Friday nights happening this summer.

This is the view from the top:

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And from the back side. The step spans the whole width of the patio which is fantastic.

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Hopefully my contractor accepts this batch of vanilla bean brown butter blondies as a form of payment. I mean, these are money. So I’ll leave these in his mailbox tomorrow and hopefully we can call it even.

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I met a friend on Newbury Street today for manicures + pedicures (aka, I needed to pay someone to get all of the blue paint off of my arms, legs, hands and feet). And then my friend Bridget, who is my favorite concert buddy, and I went to Cambridge tonight to see one of our favorite musicians Matt Wertz at this super small concert. It was so so awesome. I was waiting for the bathroom, and he came out and was waiting next to me, and I was totally not cool about it at all. I did offer to let him to go in front of me, but I wish I had thought of something cooler to say on the spot than just “wanna pee first since you have to play a show?” Smooth Becca, real smooth.

And last but not least, I owe a big shoutout to this big guy today for Father’s Day. I probably give Skip a harder time than anyone, because that’s my job as the favorite oldest daughter. I followed in his footsteps to become a business consultant. Which means at the holidays we can speak in our consultant code language that no one else can understand. “Hey dad, can you leverage me those potatoes before I go open kimono on the turkey and float up a trial balloon on that cranberry sauce.” “No problem favorite child, get your ducks in a row to maximize your green bean synergy.” See, you common people probably did not understand all of that. He taught me that all vacations should be planned in color-coded excel itineraries and that you get the best reservations at Disney restaurants if you call exactly 180 days in advance. And of course I called my Grandpa today, because if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here either. And all he had to say was, where are my cookies?

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