Banana Bran Spice Muffins

This is one of my most favorite muffin recipes. I'm a big fan of bran flakes, but I do not like eating the bran dust at the end of the cereal box. So, whenever I reach the near end of the box, I dump the last 1/4 cup or so into my designated bran flake crumbs container and save it up for this recipe.

The second component is banana. Sometimes we just don't finish our bananas in time. So, what I do is stick them straight into the freezer, peel and all. Then when I need them for this recipe (or any other banana recipe), I pull them out of the freezer and let them thaw for a few hours in a pie dish. Then I take a sharp knife and while holding the banana from its stem, I slit it all the way down the back and squeeze the banana innards into a bowl ready for mashing. This is the most hassle-free way of using frozen bananas that I know - and you get perfectly creamy yellow bananas this way too.

Notice the amazing close-up detail??

It's my new camera, baby! YEAH!

At long last my photography is not stuck in 2004 anymore!

Banana Bran Spice Muffins

1 cup bran flakes cereal
1/4 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup mashed, ripe bananas
1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
In a small bowl, soak cereal in the milk for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients with a hand-held mixer until combined; then add the cereal mixture. Beat at medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until well mixed.
Spoon into a greased or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pan, evenly distributing the batter between all the cups. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a light golden brown, or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Cool 5 minutes and remove from pan to cooling racks. Allow to cool completely... if you can wait that long.

Note: Feel free to add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Ooooh, so good!