My Muffin Top is All That: Tempting Trail Mix Chocolate Banana "Muffins"

We have really been loving "cooking" with mommy lately.  Given our commitment to keeping mom on her culinary toes, Kane and I try to reject and devour the same exact meal at random.  So mom has given up what little real cooking she did and has forged a real bond with Trader Joe's.  It seems to incite her less when I scarf TJ's traditional pot roast one night and then throw it at the dog (while also screaming "no doggie - mine!") the next.  Guess old TJ just didn't get that particular roast right.  In any event, we've taken to doctoring up TJ's staples into various concoctions and we just came up with possibly the best "muffin" ever.  Here's the scoop.  You'll need:

- 1 box of TJ's Banana Bread Mix (and the vegetable oil, eggs, and water called for on the box)
- 2 bananas
- 1 package TJ's Tempting Trail Mix
- 1/2 bag TJ's chocolate chips

Make the Banana Bread as called for on the box.  Add in two sliced bananas, the Tempting Trail Mix, and 1/4 of a bag of chocolate chips.  Mix well.  Scoop into lined muffin tins (ours made 15 muffins - filled 3/4 of the way).  Bake at 325 F for 25 - 27 minutes.  While the "muffins" are in the oven, mix the remaining 1/4 bag of chocolate chips with a healthy pour of milk into a saucepan and stir over low heat until melted.  Once "muffins" are done, spoon the chocolate on top and let it all cool.

We were able to help mommy with almost all of the above steps, including slicing the bananas with a dull knife.  Note that while we didn't chop the trail mix, unless your kiddos are used to eating whole nuts, you might want to do that (although they softened a bit when we cooked them).  And, of course, if your kid has a nut allergy, you should skip the trail mix altogether.  They looked so good mom let us each have a 1/2 after dinner (even though we had just coated the surface of pretty much everything in Kane's bathroom with toothpaste while mom "made" dinner.  but that's another story).