Banana-Nut Muffins

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease 12 standard size muffin-pan cups or use paper liners.
2. Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas until smooth.
3. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Alternately stir flour mixture and buttermilk into egg mixture until dry ingredients are just moistened.
5. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Do not over-mix batter; it should not be completely smooth.
6. Spoon batter into prepared pan, filling two-thirds full. If you do not have sufficient batter to fill every muffin cup, fill empty cups halfway with water so pan doesn't warp. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer muffin-pan cups to a wire rack to cool slightly. Turn out onto rack. Serve warm.