Banana split muffins!

What's better? Muffins or banana splits? Since it's February, I'm tempted to go with muffins for now. But danged if banana splits aren't tasty. And having some prime muffin bananas, defrosted strawberries and chocolate chips on hand seals the deal. I would have pictures if I hadn't left my camera on whilst transferring images from my memory card to my hard drive. By the way, if anyone would care to send me an SD card reader, I wouldn't say no...

You'll need:

• A banana bread recipe. If you don't have one, what are you doing cooking? Seriously. Fine. I'll post one later.
• Some variety of mixer (not the cocktail type, this time anyway)
• Aforementioned almost-liquid bananas
• Defrosted strawberries that just don't go down well on their own, about 1 cup
  
• Teensy chocolate chips, use your discretion
  
• Smart Balance to replace the butter or shortening in your muffins. (For more info on Smart Balance, go here: http://www.smartbalance.com/ Unlike other fake butters, it's wicked tasty and I will actually eat it.)
• A sprinkle of oat bran for fun
• A tablespoon of vanilla, if your banana bread recipe doesn't call for it.
• Muffin wrappers, or whatever you call them. Pastel! Pastel!
• A muffin tin! If you don't have one, I am very, truly sorry for you. Improve your life and go find one.
  

OK. Now all this gets glopped together, one ingredient at a time, in the mixer (OK, in the bowl if you are not blessed with a roommate with a Kitchen Aid.) , in pretty much the order I mentioned, minus any special banana bread instructions. And don't skimp on the vanilla! Really, how much of that do you use in a year?! I thought so. Don't be stingy - slosh a bunch in. Nice!

I never measure the chocolate chips, but the mini ones are better than perfect for this recipe. You don't get too much chocolate in your face, and it almost feels like you are eating something healthy. Almost.

Get yourself a nice deep serving spoon. Set it down for a sec. Put the muffin papers (mmm baking paraphernalia) in the appropriate muffin tin indentations. Then grab your spoon again and glop some batter in about halfway or a tad more. Feel free to lick the spoon when everything's been portioned, but I must warn you, I can accept no responsibility for food borne illnesses contracted as a result of ingesting raw egg. Seriously, I can't. I just don't have time.

Pop it into the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 F. You'll know they're done when a toothpick comes out of them clean (though how the toothpick got there, I cannot account for) OR when the oven starts smoking. In that case, I'd consider them overdone and advise you to buck up, and give the whole shenanigans another shot. Practice makes perfect!