Crockpot Lasagna

I love love love Italian Food. Maybe it's the small amount of Italian blood in my veins...maybe not. However, it is my fave by a mile. My favorite Italian restaurant is Biaggis at the Gateway. Oh how I love that place. I love lasagna too but my version, though worth it, is time consuming. So when I saw them making this quick, easy and healthy version on Oprah I was SO in.

This was fast and easy to throw together and very tasty. If I get a hankering for lasagna again and don't have the time and or energy as I've felt lately this will likely be my go to recipe. I was also interested to learn that funny man Jerry Seinfeld had a wife who had a recipe book out. Never knew that.

I love how this recipe sneaks in a substantial amount of spinach that is virtually undetectable. My husband is not a fan of spinach and I was a little worried that my son might spot it and be scared off, but they both enjoyed this recipe and nobody complained about the "green stuff" in it! AWESOME!!

My picture isn't too lovely but trust me don't let that put you off!


Crockpot Lasagna
Jessica Seinfeld



Servings: Serves 6-8 (generous portions)

Ingredients
3 cans (14.4 ounces) crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic , finely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 containers (15 ounces each) fresh ricotta
2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
12 lasagna noodles (about three-quarters of a 1-pound box)
5 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper and black pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

In the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles (breaking to fit as necessary). Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles and layer with 2 cups of the spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture. Repeat twice more with the noodles, sauce, spinach and cheese mixture. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.

Cook on low, covered, until the noodles are tender—especially in the center of the lasagna—about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

When I was planning my fortnightly menu earlier this week I went to the Better Homes and Gardens website for a little inspiration. This recipe sounded good to me from the get go. Hot creamy rice with chicken and vegies?! I mean c'mon...you can't go wrong.

We all LOVED this. Even my sick and fussy lately three year old loved it and gobbled it up. If he loves something as soon as he puts it in his mouth he will rub his tummy, say "mmmmm" and then proceed to tell me it is yummy in his tummy. The second night when we ate the left overs for dinner he said "This is really good mama." I was happy!

I did make some small modifications to it (see below) based on what I had in my pantry but I have no cause for complaint. The texture and this may be because I didn't use the wild rice was allot like a risotto. Again...I'm not complaining. =)

I couldn't seem to get a "pretty" picture of this dish and frankly I was so excited to dig in, I didn't even care. This will definitely make an appearance on our dinner table again. I'm craving it now!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole


Better Homes and Gardens
Ingredients


1 6-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix (I used plain rice because I had it on hand)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons butter
1 10.5- or 10.75-ounce can condensed chicken with white and wild rice soup or cream of chicken soup (I used Cream of chicken)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I used chicken broth)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed (I used dry)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey (I used a left over rotisserie chicken I had in the fridge)
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Prepare rice mix according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet, cook onion and celery in hot butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in soup, sour cream, wine, and basil. Stir in cooked rice and chicken.

3. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

and I don't even LIKE peanut butter!

Ok call me crazy but I am not a fan of peanut butter. I don't like Reeses Peanut butter cups, Butterfingers, peanut butter crackers, peanut butter bars or peanut butter on celery. Nope just not a fan. However, after making and consuming far too many of these little dears I can now say that I really do enjoy a GOOD peanut butter chocolate chip cookie. I was surprised myself, but hey, pleasantly so.

One thing I did add to this recipe, was add a handful of butterscotch chips in with my chocolate chips. I did this for no other reason than I had a handful left in a bag I was trying to use up. I was really surprised at how great the butterscotch flavor blended with the peanut butter flavor. It seems like an unlikely combo but the next time I make these I think I will do half and half...I liked it that much.

My little guy doesn't have the biggest sweet tooth. He doesn't usually ask for candy, he will leave most desserts, rarely finishes a dum dum and he isn't even a big fan of fruit snacks but he does love his cookies. I was recently at the store with him and he saw some cookies and started asking for them. Aside from the fact that I thought the price was a little steep for something I could make myself and I knew that they would likely be loaded with all sorts of preservatives etc we opted for a bag of chocolate chips instead and went home to have some fun together in the kitchen. The results were one happy toddler, a happy mummy and some happy neighbor kids. Anytime we make a treat Gabe is always sure to set some aside for the cute neighbor kids one house over and especially his girlfriend Emma.

Mel suggests popping baked and cooled cookies into the freezer (in a large Tupperware or freezer-safe Ziploc bag). I had never done this before but thought I'd try in case my little guy needed a cookie fix and I didn't have time to make some. I was pleasantly surprised that they were just as awesome pulled out of the freezer and left to thaw as the day I pulled them out of the oven. I'll be doing this allot more in the future.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
www.melskitchencafe.com







*Makes about 4-5 dozen

1 cup (16 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups smooth or chunky peanut butter
1 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ tablespoons milk
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips (or a combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips or whatever tickles your fancy)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the butter and peanut butter and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy (you can do this with a hand mixer or with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Add the brown and white sugars and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and mix for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and light in color. Add the milk and vanilla and mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix just briefly. While there are still large spots of flour, add the chocolate chips (or peanut butter chips or both) and mix until the flour is completely mixed in and the mixture is well combined. Let the cookie dough sit for 15 minutes before scooping onto the baking sheets. It will firm up as it sits.

When ready to bake, scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto silpat or parchment-lined baking sheets leaving about 1 to 2 inches in between the cookies to allow for spreading as they bake. Bake for 10-11 minutes, taking care not to over bake in the slightest! Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes after baking before removing them to a cooling rack. This will help them set up and be firm enough to transfer without having them over bake in the oven. The cookies may look slightly under baked but they will firm up as they cool. Resist the urge to eat them warm as they taste much better cooled.

Peach Cinnamon Vanilla Crumb Bars

I know I've said it before but I love peach desserts and treats. I also love anything with a graham cracker crust or a crumb topping of some kind. There is just something about the oh so naughty butter, sugar, flour combination that gets me every time. When Holly over at phemomenon.blogspot.com posted this recipe, peaches were right in season and thanks to my in-laws peach tree I had an abudance of them in my home. I was so excited to try this recipe for two reasons. 1.- It had my favorite crumb and peach elements and 2.- Holly NEVER disapoints! =)

These were fantastic. Sadly I didn't get a picture of them because I had made them to take away on a family vacation with us. Last month we were lucky enough to spend a blissful week up in Park City at the Westgate resort with my Dad, his wife and the extended family. The Westgate Resort is one of my favorite places on earth and when I am there, I am in heaven. We ate, we swam, we shopped, we played, we visited and I enjoyed LONG LONG LONG european steam showers (twice a day). MMMMMMMMMM. Needless to say whilst there I wasn't so concerned with taking a picture of what I was eating as I was just getting down to business and eating it. So I pinched this picture from Holly's fabulous and famous food blog. Go check it out!!

This recipe was my first introduction to the cinnamon, vanilla, peach combination. All I can say is it is a match truly made in heaven!

Peach Cinnamon Vanilla Crumb Bars
phemomenon.blogspot.com




For the peach vanilla cinnamon filling:6 cups peeled, chopped fresh peaches (about 7 peaches)
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

For the crust and crumbs:4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons or 1 1/4 cups) cold, unsalted butter cut into chunks
1 large egg

Make the peach filling first: In a large pan, stir together the chopped peaches, sugar, the vanilla bean seeds and the split bean pod, and the cinnamon. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and allow to simmer about 30 minutes until the juices have mostly thickened. You can stop at this point with a little juice, or if you like a thicker filling, stir in the cornstarch and simmer for 2 minutes more until the peach filling is thick. Remove the filling from the heat and allow to cool to about room temperature.

(Note: This peach filling is also wonderful in crepes or on pancakes or waffles.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking pan and line it with a piece of parchment so that the parchment makes a sling in the pan with the edges hanging up and out the long sides of the pan. Crease the parchment into the bottom corner of the pan to help keep it in place. Spray the parchment lightly to make sure everything is well greased. Set the pan aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment stir together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, add the butter chunks and beat until the mixture is very crumbly and the butter is cut in. You can do all this by hand if you prefer using your fingertips or a pastry blender to run the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly with the largest chunks about pea-sized. Add the egg on low speed (or use a fork) until the mixture is crumbly and combined and when squeezed just holds together.

Press about half of the dough mixture into the bottom of the greased pan evenly and pressing into the corners and edges (do not go up the sides of the pan).

Spread the mostly cooled peach filling evenly over the crust in the pan. Squeeze the remaining crumbs in the bowl lightly to just make bigger crumbs and chunks and scatter that crust over the peach filling.

Bake the bars for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is light golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment sling to remove the entire bar from the pan and onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares or rectangles (makes about 24 to 30 bars depending on how big or small you cut them).

Apple Brownies

I was watching one of my favorite shows on Create the other day- The Katie Brown Workshop and she made these brownies. Just the name alone had me interested. When I hear brownies, I automatically think of cocoa and chocolate. I served these with a little whipped cream and they were delicious. Even my husband who is not a fan of apple anything deserts enjoyed these.

Apple Brownies


Katie Brown
Makes one 13" x 9" pan

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups diced apples

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar until fluffy and pale. Add oil and vanilla; mix well. Sift dry ingredients and mix into the wet mixture. Stir in apples.
3. Coat pans with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

I don't like salad but I do LOVE homemade ranch. I'll admit it. The only time I am really down for eating a salad is if I have some homemade ranch on hand. I know it's bad and I know it's weird especially to most Americans, but Australians don't eat salad like the Americans do. When I first came to the states it absolutely blew my mind that people of all ages including little kids liked and ate salad on a regular basis. At restaurants in Australia you don't get a salad with your meal...that is something you would have to request all on your own. So when I first moved here I thought it so strange that everywhere you went it was a given, the norm, that they would try (in my case) and feed you salad.

I got this recipe from my sister in law Liz and it is wonderful on salads and also used as a dipping sauce for whatever your heart may desire. =)

Homemade Ranch Dressing
Liz Bentley


Between 1 and 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
2 cups of mayonaise
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese softened
1 tsp of accent (found in most grocery stores in the spice section by the salt)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp garlic salt

Place all the ingrediants in a blender and mix until smooth. You can also place all the ingrediants in a bowl and use a handheld mixer if you don't have a blender. This will make a whole blender full. The dressing should stay good for about as long as the buttermilk is good.

Enjoy!

Chicken Velvet Soup

I love love love this soup. It is rich, creamy and oh so fast and easy to throw together. With the colder weather upon us, I am starting to want soups more and more. I love having homemade soup for dinner on a cold day. I first had this soup at my sister in law's mothers house a couple of years ago and I have been addicted ever since. In fact when I think back over time about those "favorite" meals I recall having which just tasted so good. This soup is one of them. It was chicken velvet soup in bread bowls served with a side of garden fresh salad and homemade ranch. When I make this, I serve it the exact same way.

This recipe isn't heavy on seasonings, so sometimes if I'm in the mood to kick it up a little I'll add some seasoning to the chicken when I cook it. I've used everything from my favorite dry and fresh herbs to some Mrs. Dash. For a little more I have also added cheese and cooked broccoli. This is a great base soup and you can really add what you like to suit your own tastes and cravings.

Chicken Velvet Soup
From the kitchen of Mrs. Treu
Serves 4


6 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. light cream (I will also use half and half depending on what I have on hand)
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter. Blend in flour. Add milk, cream and broth. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat. Stir in chicken and dash of pepper. Heat again just to boiling. Serve hot.

BEST Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I enjoy a good chocolate chip cookie but I'd have to say that I am certainly partial to any cookie that has oats in it. I love the added texture and the nutty flavor the oats bring to the mix. This recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies is wonderful and lived up to every expectation I had. Sadly I didn't have a chance to take a pic of my own cookies so I have stolen the one from Mels (melskitchencafe.com) blog which is where I found this gem of a recipe. I loved these and think I have certainly found my go to Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. One thing I particularly loved about this recipe other than the fact that it was easy to throw together is that the cookies had some height to them. I'm not a fan at all of a flat cookie. I like a little something in the middle, a mound, a lump, a hump...something. Just not flat. I have to have something to sink my teeth into. Thanks again Mel!

Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
melskitchencafe.com


1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 3/4 cups oatmeal
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add Baking soda, powder, and salt and mix. Add flour, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Peaches and Cream Trifle

My sister in law Liz celebrates her birthday in September. This year I told her I wanted to make her a special cake or dessert for her birthday when we got together for our monthly family dinner with the in-laws. I asked her what she wanted and she said either a fruity cake or something with chocolate or caramel. With such a broad range to work with my mind quickly got working on the perfect birthday treat for my beautiful sister. I had recently acquired some gorgeous flavorful peaches from my in-laws peach tree and so knew that they would be the perfect star for my creation. I love love love peaches and more than loving peaches, I love fresh off the tree peaches. I had a blast with this and the results were...even if I say so myself...FREAKING AWESOME!

Peaches and Cream Trifle
By Nat




For the cake:
Martha Stewart Classic Pound Cake
www.marthastewart.com

1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
4 sticks softened unsalted butter, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 large, room-temperature eggs

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans. Combine all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl.
2.Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, for 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla extract.
3.Lightly beat eggs, and add to mixer bowl in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scraping down sides. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated. Divide batter between pans. Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops.
4.Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.

For the first Peach Layer:
Approx 12 peaches peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup of sugar- more or less depending on the sweetness of your peaches
1 tbl spoon lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Place all of the ingredients except the vanilla in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Recuce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Off heat add the vanilla and stir. Set aside.

(NOTE) If this mixture seems overly liquidy (it should have some substance/body to it) you can thicken it with a little cornstarch and water paste.

For the second peach layer
Approx 6 peaches peeled and cut into moons for layering and garnish

For the Custard Layer:
1 cup of full fat milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp of vanilla essence
4 egg yolks
1 tbl spoon of cornflour
1/3 cup of white sugar

1. Combine milk and cream in a saucepan. Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Add bean and seeds to the milk mixture, Place over medium heat. Cook, stiring constantly, for 5 or so minutes or until hot. (Do not allow the mixture to boil). Remove from heat.

2. Whisk egg yolks, corn flour and sugar in a heatproof bowl until well combined. Remove vanilla beans from milk mixture. Pour hot milk mixture over egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.

3. Return mixture back to saucepan over low heat. Cook stiring constantly, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the custard thickens and coats the back of a metal spoon. Be sure not to let the custard boil.


For the cream layer:
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
3 tbls spoons of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice
8 ounces of cream cheese softened

Using a hand mixer combine cream cheese, lemon juice and vanilla and blend until smooth. In a separate bowl whip cream and sugar together. Fold cream mixture into cream cheese mixture and set aside.

Now the fun begins. Start by spooning a small amount of the cooked peach mixture into the bottom of your trifle bowl so that when you place the first layer of cake into the trifle bowl it has something moist to sit on. Then slice approx half inch layers of the pound cake and layer them into the trifle bowl trying not to leave any large holes. Once you have your cake layer in place spoon some more of the cooked peach mixture over the cake. Follow with a thin spreading of custard. On top of the custard a thin layer of the cream mixture and then finish the layers with a layer of the freshly sliced peaches. Continue layering in this fashion ending with a topping of fresh peaches.

One of the things I like most about triffles is that they are not an exact science. You have all your various layers and you don't have to be stuffy about how you apply them. Ultimately what you are going for is a moist dessert filled with flavors which compliment each other. So if you like more custard...add more custard. If you like more fruit..add more fruit. Have fun with it!!!

YUMMMO!

Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Another heavenly combination! This pumpkin chocolate chip bread from Mels Kitchen Cafe- www.melskitchencafe.com (I've said it once and I'll say it again...LOVE her!)is wonderful! I can't get enough of the pumpkin chocolate chip combination. If I see a recipe for it, I have to try it. I made this last week and after Brad, Gabe and I devoured one of the loaves in no time, I knew I had to get rid of the other one...stat!

This bread is moist, full of pumpkin and chocolate chip flavor and just plain ol delicious. Mels note however regarding the bread being even better the next day is very true. So if you can, make it the night before and resist the urge to partake until the next morning.

One thing I did do differently with this recipe which didn't affect the taste at all was add some flax seed. One of my gym instructors has put me onto the stuff and since everything we eat tends to be so over processed and unhealthy I am always looking for easy and non-invasive ways to add a little somethin somethin good to my naughty treats. Maybe it just makes me feel better about eating them. "Hey it's healthy it has flax seed in it" Anyways I bought a bag of the stuff at Sams Club for $10.00 and just add a scoop or two to everything I bake and most things I make.

Flax seed is naturally gluten free, is a great source of fiber, protein and most importantly Omega-3's. I add it to my morning shakes, all of my baked goods, my cereal and even some of my main dinner dishes. Give it a go!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
www.melskitchencafe.com



*Note: This bread tastes best when it has cooled completely for a few hours and tastes even better the next day.
*Makes 2 (9X5-inch loaves) or 3 (8X4-inch loaves)

2 ½ cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans or three 8×4-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together canned pumpkin, oil, eggs and 2/3 cup water until well combined and stir into dry ingredients, just until the dry ingredients are moistened and no dry streaks remain. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter in prepared pans.

Bake the bread for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edge of the bread and turn the bread out, right side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This bread freezes beautifully. After cooling, wrap the bread in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of tin foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

BEST Banana Butterscotch Muffins

My amazing friend Holly over at Phemomenon (http://phemomenon.blogspot.com/) gave me this recipe a little while back and now whenever I have banana's that are ready to be made into some deliciously naughty treat my mind goes straight to these little wonders. I must admit when she first suggested butterscotch chips I was a little hesitant but I happened to have some that I needed to use and OH BOY it was like the windows of heaven opened up- what a truly wonderful combination!!! A must try!!!





Banana 'Chip' Muffins
Adapted liberally from Nigella Lawson

2-3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (or a combination of all-purpose and wheat flour)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 cup chips (butterscotch, chocolate, white chocolate, cinnamon, cappuccino, peanut butter or toffee bits, and/or nuts - or any combination)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line or spray 12 muffin cups with oil. Set aside.

Whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour(s), sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil/egg mixture and stir well till just combined. Add the mashed bananas till just mixed in. Fold in the chips.

Distribute the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups (will be about 2/3 to 3/4 full). Bake the muffins for 22 to 24 minutes or until lightly golden and springy to the touch. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container.