Banana Chocolate Chip Pecan Muffins

I recently took a trip to Costa Rica, and now I'm going through withdrawals from not having my daily fresh juice and pinto gallo.  The fruit in Costa Rica is amazing and so fresh and delicious.  My host's yard was full of mango trees, papaya trees and various other tropical fruits.  Picking and eating a fresh mango in the sun gives you a feeling of complete happiness.  Especially when that said-mango is the best mango you've ever eaten in your life.

My favorite were the Alphonso mangoes - smaller with more flavor.  The papayas were good, too; we made milkshakes with them for dessert one night. Apparently papayas are great for digestion and help keep you regular. The more you know!

My host in Costa Rica was an incredible cook and everything she made was delicious, whether it was arroz con pollo or her peach tres leches cake.  One morning she made banana pancakes with a hearty dash of ground cinnamon.  I can't describe how good it smelled cooking, with the warm breeze flowing through the open kitchen, sipping on a cup of cafe con leche.  

I couldn't get the buttery banana pancake smell out of my nose, even after getting back home, ten hours later.  If only I could have brought back bananas into the United States from Costa Rica.  Luckily, there were a few ripe ones on the counter that needed to be used up.  I made one giant banana pancake for myself, then I baked a batch of banana chocolate chip pecan muffins for everyone else in the house.

These were perfect; big, bountiful, fluffy banana muffins loaded with dark chocolate chips and toasted pecans.  Next on my list of things to make: peach tres leches cake and arroz con leche.

Feel free to follow along with my other Costa Rican eats on my Instagram.

Banana Chocolate Chip Pecan Muffins

2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 large ripe banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 6 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, brown sugar, banana and vanilla until creamy.  Beat in egg yolks until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and pecans until just combined. Sprinkle with a dash of raw sugar or coarse sea salt, if desired.

Divide batter into cups.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until well risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted into muffin cups out with moist crumbs attached.  Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 6 big muffins