Banana Muffins with Oat Streusel

It may be a new year but some things never change.

I bought too many bananas again and I cannot bring myself to throw away good, usable food.

So I made Banana Muffins with Oat Streusel.

Bringing them to a friend.

Remember these — not just a good breakfast, brunch or nosh — they make perfect mishoach manot for Purim (begins at sundown on February 25th).

BANANA MUFFINS WITH OAT STREUSEL

Muffins: 

• 1-3/4 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

• 1/4 cup honey

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large egg

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• streusel

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 10 muffin tins. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, buttermilk, honey, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix only long enough to combine thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Scatter the streusel evenly on top of each muffin. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 10

Streusel: 

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 2 tablespoons old fashioned oats

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon butter

In a bowl, mix the flour, oats and sugar. Cut the butter into small pieces and work into the flour mixture with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

Mixed Fruit Jam

When people talk about Thanksgiving leftovers, it usually means the turkey, maybe stuffing and cranberries. And there are the inevitable conversations about pot pie and sandwiches, salad, soup and so on.

But this year was a strange one; we were only four for dinner, instead of the usual 20 or so. And while we did have a big turkey (plenty of leftovers days!) I scaled back on the other stuff, so only one meal of leftover stuffing, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

On the other hand, I had bought loads of fruit and we ate a lot of it and yet we had too much leftover. I had my fill of grapes and apples. I already had a couple of extra bags of cranberries in my freezer.

So I made it into jam, which was perfect on the leftover challah. I also have some in my fridge to use in our family Fanny cookies. It’s also delicious inside blintzes (topped with sour cream or whipped cream) or on top of ice cream for a Hanukkah dairy meal.

It also makes a lovely, edible gift for the holidays.

I made a whole recipe, but this is easily halved.

Mixed Fruit Jam

• 6 cups seedless grapes

• 2 cups fresh cranberries

• 2 apples, peeled and chopped

• 1/4 cup crushed crystallized ginger

• 3 cups sugar

• 1 cup orange juice

• 6 whole cloves

• 2” piece cinnamon stick

Place the grapes, cranberries, apples and crystallized ginger in a deep saucepan. Add the sugar and briefly stir the ingredients. Pour in the orange juice. Add the cloves and cinnamon (place in cheesecloth or a small muslin bag if desired). Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the mixture has thickened. Discard the cloves and cinnamon stick. Puree with a hand blender or in a food processor. Let cool, place in storage containers and refrigerate.

Makes about 4 cups