These Banana Nut Oat muffins are some of the best muffins I've ever made.I got out of the habit of baking when my stove was replaced. I use my bread machine and my Breville Smart Oven but it's too small for many things. Fortunately I have a muffin pan that makes 6 muffins that fits in it perfectly. And you know what? Making 6 muffins is much better than making a dozen! 

Muffins, like cupcakes are really good when they're fresh, but they get dry and stale quickly. So making smaller batches more frequently makes good sense. These muffins use lots of healthy ingredients like oatmeal, oat bran, bananas, walnuts and a little bit of olive oil so you can feel good about eating them. I used extra virgin olive oil because it's what I have on hand but you could use any olive oil you like. Olive oil is great for baking, especially in muffins and quick breads. The muffins are moist, with a little crunch from the nuts, a little chew from the oats, and have that buttery texture that comes from using bran, perfect to take when you're running out the door.

I adapted this recipe adding oat bran, increasing the amount of nuts and swapping out olive oil for melted butter but I'm not sure where the original recipe came from. It might seem like a lot of ingredients, but it comes together very quickly. The reason I used rolled oats, oat bran, bananas and walnuts is because they all contain magnesium. Many people are deficient in magnesium, over half the population in California according USDA research. But the combination is also really delicious, even if you don't need more magnesium in your diet. Just about everyone (unless those with nut allergies) can benefit from more nuts in their diet. Walnuts in particular have amazing heart healthy benefits.

Do you have a favorite walnut recipe? You could win fabulous prizes if your family recipe is chosen in the Gift of Gather contest. 

Makes 6 large muffins

Ingredients

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup oat bran

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup mashed very ripe bananas (the skins should be brown)

1 egg

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, oat bran, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla. Add the banana mixture and walnuts to the flour mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. 

Spoon batter into a well greased or paper-lined muffin pan (grese the top of the pan to make removing the muffins easier). Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and let cool completely or better yet, eat warm.

Enjoy!

Leftover turkey, even dry, overcooked turkey, is good in soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, smothered in sauce or topped with a poached or fried egg.

Here are some suggestions for how to use leftover turkey. I've linked to recipes, some I've tried others just look good to me, but feel free to use your own or your imagination!

If you have any favorite turkey leftover recipes, please share them by leaving a comment.

Next week I'll be in Spain, tasting the gourmet food and wines of the Basque region, then heading out into the country to visit wineries, a cheese maker and a fish cannery, finally ending in Madrid. But while I'll be indulging in all things Spanish, you can get a taste too. 

Olive Oil from Spain is highlighting different olive oil varietals during Olive OIl from Spain Restaurant Week from November 12 -18, 2012 here in San Francisco. Of course Spanish olive oils are not just used in Spanish cooking so in addition to Contigo and Canela, Atelier Crenn is also creating special dishes, inspired by the four most popular Spanish olive oil varietals, picual, hojiblanca, arbequina and cornicabra. 

I highly recommend dining at Contigo, I've loved it since day one. I celebrated a birthday at Atelier Crenn earlier this year and was really wowed by the experience, from the food through the service and wines. I've only been to Canela once, and it was right after it opened. It was a bit hit or miss, but it was early days. You can also find Spanish olive oils at local Draegers, Mollie Stone's or Whole Foods. 

I got a chance to try each of the varietals, which are often featured in blends so I really didn't know what each tasted like on it's own. Here are my tasting notes:

Arbequina 

- Buttery, mild, with a bite on the finish

- Pungent and bright, fruity

- Mild, sweet, creamy and smooth

- Grassy, notes of hay

I also got a sneak peek at the dishes that will be served at Atelier Crenn. As you might expect the dishes that chef Dominique Crenn created were wildly creative, beautiful and exciting. 

Courtesy of Olive Oil from Spain, here are some very cool ideas for ways to use olive oil you might not have considered:

* For a fast appetizer, pour it over fresh chevre or feta cheese with some pepper flakes and chopped herbs. 

* Use instead of mayonnaise in your egg salad sandwich or deviled eggs. 

* Dress up chocolate ice cream by scooping into small rounds and placing them atop a small pool of olive oil.  Sprinkle with Maldon salt. 

* Mix with honey and orange juice. Serve over chilled orange slices with julienned mint. 

* Toss on popcorn with a little salt and hot or sweet piment�n for Spanish-style popcorn. Goes especially well with Almod�var films. 

Last month I cooked a Thanksgiving dinner and a Christmas dinner. The only thing missing was a crowd around the table. Why the feast? I was developing recipes for Roast Turkey, Brown Sugar and Mustard Baked Ham, Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Lightened Green Bean Casserole, a Holiday Salad (with pomegranate seeds and pepitas) and Harvest Apple Stuffing. I also created some recipes using leftover ham and turkey and for a few fun things you can make for the holidays to give as gifts like Peppermint Bark and Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar. The recipes were for Grocery Outlet and will be featured in a brochure for customers. 

Having never hosted my own holiday dinners for 10+ people, I learned a lot! I shopped for as much of the dishes as possible at Grocery Outlet, after doing my planning and creating shopping lists. Of course making lists of what you need to buy is important, but being open to swapping out ingredients if you find something delicious and on sale is a good idea too. I was planning to use dried cranberries in the salad but found pomegranates were a better choice at the time. 

Shopping at Grocery Outlet I found many more organic products than I was expecting. There were organic fresh, frozen and packaged foods, and all were very competitively priced. Grocery Outlet has come a long way since I used to shop at the San Francisco store affectionately referred to as the "canned food store." 

When it comes to holiday meals, the main thing is to have an enjoyable time with your family and guests. If that means buying a pie instead of baking one, so be it! Concentrate on putting your energy into the things that matter most to you don't make yourself crazy trying to do everything. Most importantly? Have fun!

So here are my tips for Thanksgiving: 

1. Divide and conquer! Holiday meals are more elaborate and involved. No one person should have to do it all. Letting guests or family members take responsibility for a dish or a course gets them more involved and is nice way of sharing. 

2. Think big. Contrary to popular belief, many people love leftovers! Especially roast turkey or ham, not to mention stuffing and gravy. Make enough so guests can take some home or so you can make great soups, sandwiches, enchiladas, stuffed crepes and more. You'll be amazed at all the ways you can turn leftovers into fresh meals.

3. Plan ahead. Not only is planning important, but preparing some things like appetizers, side dishes or desserts ahead of time will make the actual holiday much less stressful. Not everything can be prepared ahead, but sometimes even components like salad dressing or pie crust can be made days before you need to use them. 

4. Enjoy seasonal flavors. Whether or not you're roasting a turkey or baking a ham, Autumn fruits and vegetables like apples, pomegranates, pears, cranberries, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts and squash are welcome additions to the holiday table. Even if you serve them in new ways, they will make everyone feel the holiday glow.

5. Start early. Holidays are really about spending time together, not just eating. So plan to get together early in the day. Have appetizers and drinks, socialize before sitting down to the main event.

Wishing you and your family a very happy holiday season!

Amy

Because of my recent fixation with Mexican food, I got very excited to see so many new Mexican cookbooks this season, including a new one from Santibanez. His latest book is Tacos, Tortas and Tamales. If you want to recreate Mexican street food at home, this is the book for you. From salt cod tortas to tacos of potatoes in green salsa and agua frescas, there is plenty to try that you probably haven't made or possibly even tasted before. I find this book like the last one to be very inspiring. I may not follow the recipes exactly but I find great ideas that excite me. 

The next book comes from Rick Bayless, my other go-to Mexican cookbook author. It's Frontera Margaritas, Guacamoles and Snacks. Some wild and wonderful recipes are in this book like cilantro japaleno margaritas, port sangria, and guacamole with watercress and sesame. It's quite the party book, whether you are actually throwing a party or just cooking for your family.  The emphasis here is on drinks, not on meals. It won't be your primary Mexican cookbook, but definitely a go-to for entertaining. 

It was Rick Bayless who opened my eyes to the idea that Mexican cuisines encompasses dishes with many different influences including Maya, France and Spain and even the Philippines. La Cocina Mexicana, Many Cultures, One Cuisine by Marilyn Tausend explores this concept in depth. This book has lots of recipes you probably won't find elsewhere, like chicken in white almond sauce, spicy yucca soup and stew of prickly pear with potatoes and cabbage. I already made the purslane salad with tomatoes and chiles. This one is a keeper.

Finally Muy Bueno, a Mexican cookbook based on the blog of the same name. This is more of a family style cookbook, with mostly easier recipes you can make any night of the week. If you're looking for Mexican comfort food, this is a good pick. There are lots of photos and techniques are nicely explained--everything from how to make flour tortillas to menudo, picadillo and albondigas (meatballs). The recipe that caught my eye was roasted green chiles with buttermilk and cheese. I can't wait to try it. The book has lots of personal stories and anecdotes to that give you a sense of what it's like to grow up in a close knit Mexican American family where recipes are shared and passed down from one generation to the next. The book and the blog are written by a mother and her two adult daughters, with lots of recollections and recipes from grandma as well.



Disclaimer: I did receive these books as review copies and links are Amazon affiliate links.