Ode to Ina and Banana Crunch Muffins

Oh Ina.
Ina Garten. How I love you.
You even have a perfect name, it's almost like "In A Garden", but it's not. You are much more subtle than that.
And your stage name is so lovely. The Barefoot Contessa . It's elegant and down-to -earth at the same time.

I love how every dish and dessert I have ever made from your cookbooks comes out perfectly.
So what if it's full of butter. Butter makes things taste so good.
And olive oil. It's good for your heart.

Your life in the Hamptons seems picture perfect.
The shopkeepers know you and save the best produce for your visit.
The cheese guy worships at your feet.
Your cadre of talented and handsome friends drop by for a special meal.
And then Jeffrey shows up on the weekend with flowers for you, just as you are pulling his favorite roast chicken from the oven and mixing up a whiskey sour.

I love watching you on Food Network.
The way you scoop flour from those huge glass containers.
The insouciant way you add a handful pinch of sea salt.
Oh to be a stand mixer in your light-filled kitchen!

You know just what to to say to make us feel at ease.
"How easy was that?" you ask rhetorically.
Easy as muffins, Ina.

Barefoot Contessa's Banana Crunch Muffins, from
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook


3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsps. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 lb. butter, melted and cooled

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 cup mashed over-ripe bananas (2 bananas)

1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)

1 cup small-diced walnuts

1 cup granola

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Optional: dried banana chips, extra granola, shredded coconut.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Generously butter, or line with paper liners, 18 large muffin cups.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend.
Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla and mashed bananas, then add them to the flour-butter mixture.
Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.
Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola and coconut into the batter.
Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each one to the top.
Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola and/or cocnut, if desired.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool slightly before removing from the pan.

How great is that?