Banana mania (once again) & the overpowering lust for chocolate

This is just one messy post I'm rushing because i thought 'why the heck not'. I did a crazy last minute bake yesterday within an hour in my new cutie jeans! :D had 3 overripe bananas and no one was gonna be eating it. rather than let the bananas go to waste in its smelly grave of my garbage can, i thought of making banana muffins. they're always a favourite! ultra traditional, and terribly good to eat any time of the day whether you're hungry or not. screw the calories, the carbohydrates and the fats. it's polling day, have a good holiday for once while all the crazy politics craze is going on?
I made this batch with lots of caramel and chocolate and walnuts! It was a mix because mom isn't that big a fan of chocolate so hers only had walnuts in it. Daddy's had chocolate chips in it. Those reserved for my sisters had a sexy caramel-filled chocolate chunk in the centre. it was superb! ooey-gooey salty sweet centre amidst the banana goodness. to-die-for. plus i made them medium size so they were something we juz grabbed after it cooled for a few min before bouncing into the car with dearest fifi, our princess cocker, and driving off to have a good day out in the sun. wanna know the recipe? sorry! it's a secret..mostly because it's Sam's extremely good banana muffins recipe and i'm not at any liberty to divulge it, not that i wan to anyway. i'm selfish! :D
After this bake day though, I'm all the more enthusiastic to use candy-filled chocolate chunks in my muffins. I was never that keen on that because I always had the impression it would be so messy to eat or that upon breaking the muffin, everything would just pour out, or maybe the whole chunk would juz melt and mix into the batter as it cooks and then what would be the point? but this batch of bananaramas juz proved me completely wrong and put my unease to rest. the muffin was the right quality of moistness and wasn't overly sweet. the sweetness came mostly from the banana so it had a wholesome feel to it, no tortured-hangover or one-night-stand-guilt thereafter. :) but i'm a little puzzled why the bottom of each muffin tasted slightly bitter. i didn't chao them so i'm a bit stumped abt this.

Anyway, today's the day I open my lovely box of Prestat chocolates! The day i've been waiting for.

I know it's terribly silly but it was a gift i bought for myself. i mean, hello, it's not everyday i get a chance to visit Harrod's so i had to reward myself with something (since i couldn't possibly reward myself with that marc jacobs handbag i saw)! ha..but of course i'm not gonna eat this whole tray of chocolates myself. terrible if i did that. but this assortment of chocolates was really simple and elegant. the chocolates were individually placed in a blue violet waxed paper cup. and the wrapping was all done very beautifully. unwrapping it was such a delight! i must say it was nothing fancy. so if you ever get this box, don't expect something out of the world. this is all about simple cravings. about inner beauty. about something you know will always be the way it is because. period. and i quite like that. nothing pretentious.

To satisfy the cravings, I tried the walnut marzipan. Gosh. It was quite lovely. I didn't chill the chocolates too much, so the marzipan inside was slightly sticky and soft. Didn't stick to my teeth though so it was exhilirating to eat it with none of the hassle you get from eating chocolates that stick to your teeth, your tongue, your mouth walls, etc. :S This was great. Can't wait for the day i try the next one. I'm gonna choose the raspberry fondant one!!!