I've been cooking/baking on my own now for close to ten years. Sheesh that makes me feel old. Sometimes papa bear and I reminisce and laugh about my kitchen catastrophes when we first got married. After our honeymoon I held closely to one cooking rule - chicken or bust. I was terrified of cooking anything else. My attempts at baking were also pretty hit or miss. But I had a pretty robust interest in all things culinary so I continued to dust myself off and try again. And again. 

If you told me ten years ago that I would actually attempt to come up with a recipe on my own, for a dessert no less, I would have probably just started laughing. And yet after ten years of baking muffins I decided last week that it was time to try and make one that would have everything I love all in one tiny bite-sized package. I knew I wanted oatmeal and nuts and peanut butter and bananas (of course) and so after studying many a recipe and experiementing quite a bit I was able to come up with something that was right out of my dreams!! Nutty, meaty and with a hint of banana and peanut butter. And the best part is they are just so easy! And I bet you have everything you need sitting in your pantry or fridge right now!

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of oatmeal

1/3 cup of chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 350°F 

Oil or line a mini muffin pan.

Mix oil into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Mix in the peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour and mix well. Using a wooden spoon mix in the oatmeal and nuts. Pour mixture into oiled muffin pan. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes. Cool on a rack.

That's it! We snacked on them with a cold glass of almond milk and they were just dreamy!!