Banana Berry Crackle Muffins

This is a hearty breakfast muffin - sweet, tender, and gooey.  It's a great way to use up bananas that have gotten a little brown.  Heavens knows there's no chance that my kids would ever eat a banana with any brown on it!

Banana Berry Crackle Muffins

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 large ripe-to-overripe bananas

1 large egg

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, washed  (if frozen, do not thaw - just break into individual pieces.  The juices of thawed berries will change the color of the batter)

1/4 cup pecan pieces

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons flour

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon.  In a small bowl, whisk together the banana, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla.  Gently mix the banana mixture and the blueberries into the flour mixture, stirring just until the flour is moistened.  If you over mix, the muffins will be tough.  Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
3. In a mini food processor or blender, mix the pecans, brown sugar, flour, and melted butter, until the pecans are finely chopped and the ingredients are mixed.  Sprinkle this mixture over the tops of the muffins.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean (except for berry juices).  Let cool 5 minutes then remove from pan.  Serve immediately or the same day.  If storing over night, store in sealed plastic bags to preserve moisture.