Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal "Muffins"

Hello. Remember me?

I have been on a hiatus (of sorts) from blogging any new recipes for a couple of months while we're remodeling a house that we just took possession of in July. (Are we close to completion? Thank you for asking. But, nope. Not even close. We're getting there, though.) We've been up to our eyeballs in cabinet staining, drywall work, mudding and such ... all those super-de-duper fun things that come along with most remodeling adventures.

I have barely been cooking or baking from-scratch recently. (I know - gasp.) Our new house is just a few miles from where we currently live and we're not moving in until most of the renovations are done. So, we've been at the new house working during our "free" time which has meant that my hubby and kids have been mostly living on take-out, pizza, granola bars and string cheese. (I wish I were kidding.)

This past weekend, however, I couldn't take it anymore. I was dying to get into the kitchen - even if it meant giving up a couple hours of working at the new place. So, I made a big pot of my Cheesy Potato Soup and kept it warm in my slow cooker to transport over to the new house. (Nothing says gourmet, by the way, like soup served in Styrofoam cups and eaten with plastic spoons.)

And, these scrumptious "muffins" were made ... and quickly devoured.

These are not quite actually muffins in the true sense of the word - they are chewier and a bit denser than traditional banana muffins. (Having no flour in the mix makes them a little different than muffins, as well.) Regardless, they are darn yummy and are great on the go! They actually remind me of Quaker Oatmeal To Go Breakfast Bars - if you've ever had those.

Who doesn't love the combination of chocolate, peanut butter and banana? They're made with stuff most of us usually have on hand and they're ready to pop in the oven in just a matter of minutes. They'll carry you through the morning and are, also, great for after school snacking.


Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups uncooked oats (I prefer old-fashioned)
1/4 cup (lightly packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. Add in the vanilla, milk and beaten egg.

In a small bowl, combine together the mashed banana, peanut butter and honey until mostly smooth. Add banana mixture into the oatmeal mixture. Stir until combined.

Line the wells of a muffin tin with papers. Fill each paper just over three-fourths of the way full. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about five minutes while still in the muffin tin.

Remove from muffin tin and store in an airtight container once fully cooled. Can be served warm or at room temperature.