Banana Coffee Muffins For The Rons

The other day I was driving home from visiting some family when I noticed that the battery light on my dash was bright red. The Rons (the most amazing mechanics that ever existed--a father, son team) told me once that if something lights up in orange it isn't necessarily good, but it can wait a hot second. However, they said that if one of the lights are red that is definitely not good.

If you only have a few muffins to bake, put them in the middle and fill the rest with water for even baking.

Crap. I pulled into a parking lot, gave them a call, and explained my situation. Father-Ron told me to bring it in immediately and he would take a look at it. I drove it the couple of miles distance to the shop and prayed to baby Jesus that my car wouldn't decide to kick the bucket in the middle of an intersection. Well, my prayer and happy thoughts worked because Rosalie and I made it to The Rons' in one piece. Whew. Father-Ron was there, and said he would be able to look at it the next day. Before I left he made sure someone was coming to pick me up. I told him mom was coming to get me, and went outside to wait. At that moment I decided that mom probably wasn't coming to get me because our communication via text messages was nothing short of dodgy -- my phone decided to only accept emergency calls after I had talked to Ron so I couldn't tell her what was going on. This time I was able to call home, and she came to get me. Except that it took forever and it was sweltering outside.

Fill about 3/4 full for perfect muffins.

I stood in the shade outside of the shop for a while. Then Father-Ron went outside, noticed me, and told me I could sit inside. I decided to stay outside, and a few short minutes later he came outside again and offered to buy me a coke from the vending machine on the other corner of the building. He waved me over, got out his key, and let me pick my drink. He is so kind, and I was utterly grateful as it was the first day that was really hot. And it was so refreshing! Well, after all this kindness I decided that I would make them something delicious to show my thanks. When Ron and I were at the vending machine he told me that he drinks coffee all day, so I decided to make them something with coffee in it. Muffins with coffee.... I googled it, and it turns out that such a thing exists! I had no idea. So, I made them, with bananas, and they turned out so good. They didn't have much of a coffee flavor to it, but I have an explanation for that. I used instant coffee, and when we had the proper amount all figured out, it ended up looking like sludge (and smelled about the same), so I added a lot more water to even it out, and therefore must have taken a lot of the coffee flavor out.

Fresh from the oven!

Anyway, they were delicious, and The Rons were happy to see them the next day. I felt sort of silly handing them over, but I handed them over to Ron (the younger), and he seemed pleasantly surprised -- I mean, who doesn't like coffee in muffins? I also added chocolate chips to make them extra delicious. I think it called for some sort of nut, but please. Nuts or chocolate? Ron (the younger) laughed at being sufficiently caffeinated to work on the next car. So, I'm not sure what they ended up thinking about them, but I was pleased. The muffins were dense, moist, and flavorful -- scrumptious.

Perfect muffin on a cranberry plate.