Dark Chocolate Chai Banana Muffins

Sinful dark chocolate and the heady flavors of a chai latte are wrapped up in one heck of a banana muffin!

Dark Chocolate Chai Banana Muffins

Perfect for a cold winter morning or a weekend brunch.  These muffins are filled with dark chocolate chunks, the wonderful flavors of allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and a hint of vanilla, that make a wonderful chai spice, and lets not forget the banana that gives these muffins a sweet base.  Perfectly sinful with coffee or tea or even as an afternoon snack. 

During quarantine I've been baking a lot.  It's so easy to whip up these muffins on the weekend so we have something that's grab and go for our workday breakfast.  This recipe makes 6 perfect muffins.  For more, just double the recipe.  

What Ingredients do I need?

• 1 overripe banana
• egg
• milk
• canola oil or vegetable oil
• flour
• sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• chocolate chunks, chopped from a dark chocolate bar or purchased
• Vanilla Chai Spice  - (see Substitutions for other chai alternatives)

Substitutions and Variations

• Make mini muffins instead of regular sized muffins
• Double the recipe for 12 muffins
• Use liquid chai flavoring instead of a spice mix
• Make your own chai spice mix (see below in Kitchen Tips and  Notes)
• Add some mini chocolate chips
• Add some chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch 
• Substitute your favorite sweetener for the sugar
• Use yogurt instead of milk
• Use butter instead of canola oil
• Use 1/2 the amount of flour with whole wheat or white whole wheat flour.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Cooking time for mini muffins:   12-14 minutes
• Make your own chai spice blend:  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cardamon, and 1/4 teaspoon all-spice.
• Muffins freeze well.  Wrap each one individually in cling wrap and freeze up to 3 months.
• Do not overmix your muffin batter. Overmixing causes your muffins to come out flat and tough

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Dark Chocolate Chai Banana Muffins


Yield:  6 - 8 regular muffins

1 large ripe banana, mashed
1 large egg
1/2 c 2% milk
1/4 c canola oil
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon chai spice mix
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 6 well muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl mash the banana.  Add the egg, milk, and oil.  Mix together using a rubber spatula to completely incorporate.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and chai spice mix.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Fold in the dark chocolate chunks, leaving a few back to place on the tops of the muffins.

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to the individual muffin tins.  Add the remaining chocolate chunks on the tops of each muffin.  Bake 18-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the muffin tin.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mom's Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup Revisited

Soul-warming, homemade Vegetable Beef Soup from my Mom's recipe archives is the BEST old fashioned soup recipe around.  

Mom's Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Your sitting in a the kitchen on a cold winter's day and mom places a steaming bowl of hot Vegetable Beef Soup in front of you.  The aromas of beef, tomatoes, and potatoes tease you as you take your first whiff.  The first bite brings bursts of hearty flavors on your tongue and fills your body with comforting warmth as it goes down.  This is what Mom's soup reminds me of.  Pure Heaven!  

There is nothing more comforting to me than this soup.  Mom's love was poured into this homemade soup and you can feel it with every bite.  This is a soup you have to try, and is worth another look.

Although it takes time to cook this soup it's really one that you want to cook on a weekend.  Plan ahead, as this is one born of love and a little chopping effort.  It takes about 3-4 hours to complete this soup but it is cooked in stages with long simmering sessions.  You don't have baby sit it but you do need to check it randomly to ensure you are not simmering away all the luscious broth.

Plan on cooking this during the fall and winter months and you will have yourself one delicious, lip-smacking soup.  This is one that everyone will be requesting again and again.

What Ingredients do I need?

• stew meat
• onion
• carrots
• celery
• diced tomatoes
• russet potatoes
• water

Substitutions and Variations

• Use cut pieces of chuck roast 
• Use cut pieces of sirloin
• Add different seasoning, such as Italian herbs to give it a Mediterranean spin
• Add in fresh garlic or hot pepper flakes
• Although this makes a wonderful beef broth you may add some concentrated beef broth (such as Better than Bullion) to enhance the broth flavor
• Add additional vegetables such as zucchini or mushrooms or yellow squash

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Cooking the beef in water for a long period of time develops a wonderful beef broth
• Make sure to simmer the soup slowly so you don't lose too much broth.
• If you do lose broth add in more water and turn the heat down to a lower simmer. This will allow the soup to build up the broth again from the items you are cooking

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Mom's Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

serves 6

1 lb of stew meat, cut in to bite sized pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
water
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks of celery, sliced
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
4 medium sized russet potatoes, cut in to medium chunks
Salt and pepper

In a large Dutch oven add meat, onion, and enough water to cover 2-3 inches above the meat.  Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to simmer.  Add salt and pepper. (you will need to layer your seasonings)  Cook at a simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hrs.  This is going to make your broth.  If you loose too much water, turn your temp down, and add some water.

Add carrots and celery.  Cook 1 hour.

Add tomatoes, more salt and pepper.  Cook 30 min to develop the flavors.

Add potatoes.  Cook 1 hour.  Taste and season as necessary.

Serves 6.

Braised Tuscan Chicken with Vegetables and White Beans

Common ingredients and simple preparation is the basis for this braise.  The results are a Tuscan Chicken dish that is loaded with flavor and brings you the comfort of home!

Braised Tuscan Chicken with Vegetables and White Beans

This chicken dish has hands down become my new favorite comfort food!  Braising is an easy way to cook chicken.  It cooks in a base of the most flavorful liquid that's seasoned just right!  Add in some carrots, celery, onion, and tomatoes as your fresh vegetables.  Cannellini beans are added to pump up the protein factor and to give more heartiness to the dish.  This is one AWESOME dinner.  The flavors just burst in your mouth and you will feel like you are in a little village in Italy!

Braising is a great technique to learn.  Lot of braises such as pot roasts are done in a dutch oven and cooked in your oven for several hours to allow the meat to become tender.  When doing chicken which doesn't require a long cooking period you can do a stove-top braise in about 30 minutes.  So you get all the home cooked comfort feelings from a wonderful braised dish, a one pot meal, and a dinner that's easy and quick.  Winner!!!

What Ingredients do I need?

• chicken
• carrot
• celery
• onion
• garlic
• white wine
• diced tomatoes
• chicken broth
• Italian seasoning
• cannellini beans

Substitutions and Variations

• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts
• Use bone in chicken pieces
• Use fresh tomatoes instead of canned
• Leave out the wine, just add more broth
• Use any white bean of your choice
• This can easily be turned into a Latin dish by altering the seasoning and the beans.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Searing the chicken first creates a nice brown presentation and keeps the chicken juicy on the inside.
• Flavor building with the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, wine, tomatoes, and seasoning all contribute to the fantastic flavor of this dish.
• Make sure to sinner the dish on low so that all the sauce does not boil away.
• Serve this with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
• Spoon the luscious broth over the chicken and the pasta or other starch.
• Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
• I wouldn't suggest freezing the dish as the bean will not freeze and reheat well.

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Braised Tuscan Chicken with Vegetables and White Beans

serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

3 Tablespoon olive oil, divided

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 14oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and pepper your chicken on both sides and trim any fat or skin off the chicken.  Heat a large skillet over high heat.   Add 2 Tablespoon of olive oil and heat.  Add the chicken and sear on both sides 2 minutes each until browned.  Remove from the skillet to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, the carrots, celery and onion.  Reduce the heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Add the wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits in the bottom of the pan.  

Return the chicken to the pan along with any accumulated juices, add the chicken broth, tomatoes and their juices, and Italian seasoning.  Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the beans, cover and cook for an additional beans or until they hare thoroughly heated.  Serve.