Recipe: Banana chocolate-chip muffins for Weston's birthday

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Both my kids have January birthdays, so for us, the holiday season isn't over until January 19. Holiday shopping, holiday wrapping, holiday cooking, holiday entertaining, New Year's Day, and then...there's more! Birthday shopping, birthday cooking, birthday parties. By this time in January it's the homestretch and I am completely spent.

And then I remembered that tonight I had to bake two dozen banana chocolate chip muffins.

When kids at our school have birthdays, parents send a treat so the kids can celebrate in class with their friends. Last week Emery wanted brownies, and I delivered. This week Weston wanted his favorite muffins. Lucky for him his dad is out of town, else there would not be enough tomorrow to go around in class. It's been known to happen that I've baked two dozen of these beauties at night and had only a dozen left 24 hours later. And none left 24 hours after that. They're awfully good.

Banana chocolate chip muffins
adapted from Bon Appetit

• 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 oz plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper or foil muffin liners, or spray tin with cooking spray.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mash the bananas with the sugar. Add the eggs and beat about 30 seconds, until eggs are incorporated. Add melted butter, yogurt and milk and beat about 1 minute more.

Put the flour and salt into the mixer with the banana mixture. With a small sieve, sift the baking powder over the flour (to get out any lumps). Beat on low speed until flour is just incorporated; do not overmix. Add the wheat germ and mix briefly. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake until tops are golden brown and a tester comes out with melted chocolate but no crumbs, about 30 minutes. Cool in the tin on a rack.

These freeze very well (and my husband will tell you they taste equally good frozen).