Food Fail #1

When I try to teach someone about cooking, the first thing I say is that cooking is a series of methods.  Once you learn the basics you can add different ingredients to change it up.  Sometimes, even if you know what you are doing, things can go wrong.  I was working at my first job after culinary school and we made a standard muffin mix.  We added a different ingredient each day to make a "muffin of the day".  I loved making up muffin flavors.  Cranberry-orange, raspberry-white chocolate, blueberry-oat, and so on.  One day I had the idea to make cinnamon-pecan muffins.  We had these amazing rum roasted pecans I was going to use.  I took the mix, folded in the cinnamon and the pecans, then popped them in the oven to bake.  Then, I put them in the warming drawer for the servers and went on my way.  A little later, my chef decided to sneak one for breakfast and I heard my name being shouted across the kitchen, and not in a good way.  I came around the corner to "what the H3$# did you put in these muffins!?"  Come to find out, right next to the rum pecans were spicy cajun pecans we used for salads.  So basically, I put cayenne in the muffins.  Not delicious!  Food Fail!  Even chefs have bad food days, but you fix it and move on.  Now, I make muffins at work all the time...hold the cayenne!  I came up with these banana muffins made with applesauce and pecans.  I love this recipe!  Great for breakfast or for a snack.

Big K's Banana Pecan Muffins
Makes 36 Mini Muffins

2            Each       Overripe Bananas
1/2         Cup        Applesauce
1/2         Cup        Brown Sugar
2            Each       Eggs
1/4         Cup        Melted Butter
1            Tsp         Vanilla
1 1/2      Cup        All Purpose Flour
1/2         Cup        Old Fashioned Oats
1/2         Cup        Pecans
2            Tsp         Cinnamon
2            Tsp         Baking Soda
1/2         Tsp         Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line mini muffin tins with 36 liners.  Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk in the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla until incorporated.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, oats, pecans, cinnamon, soda, and salt.  Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Be careful not to over mix the batter because it can cause the muffins to be tough.  Fill lined muffin tins  almost to the top using a small scoop or spoon.  Bake for 15 minutes until tops are golden and bounce back to the touch.  Or you can do the toothpick trick, if it comes out clean they are done.  Allow to cool then I smother mine in butter and eat 5 more:)  Love as Always, "Big K"