Baking Banana Bread
I already realize that I most likely aggravate my roommates on a weekly basis with my extended periods of kitchen domination. This week I made Champ, Colcannon, a sort of Southern coleslaw with the leftover cabbage, and simmered Beef and Guinness stew for a couple hours, filling our small common space with a deliciously malty smell, which may or may not have been appreciated. (Although mentioned in previous posts, Champ is an Irish dish of mashed potatoes, made in several different ways with chives, leeks, etc., but always with a nice big pat of butter melting on the top in which you dip your fork. Colcannon is basically mashed potatoes and cabbage. I like to cook the cabbage in a bit of sausage or bacon fat, but that’s just me being indulgent.)
J* liked the hearty stew, although for the sake of our hungry bellies I cooked it a little faster than I should have. I think the exact reaction was “Wow! You can really taste the Guinness.” It may or may not have been a good choice to actually drink a couple Guinnesses with the stew. Hey, when in Rome… I think I may be over my recent Irish food obsession as of late. It’s really too heavy for proper summer eating. I’m ready to try out this Avocado Mango Salsa.
But I digress from the subject of my post. In my quest for perfect banana bread, my bananas have been ripening and over-ripening on the kitchen counter, surely prompting the thought, “Those are attracting fruit flies. Is she going to do something with those brown bananas or what?” Well, last night I did. I made the most delicious loaf of banana bread….ever. I decided to use less sugar than most recipes call for, a little more vanilla, and a handful of chopped walnuts.
Hopefully the glorious smell of the baking banana bread soothed any frustrations regarding the availability of the kitchen counters on any given night.
Banana Bread
Ingredients
3 extra-ripe bananas
3/4 stick melted butter, roughly
1/2 C-3/4 C. sugar, depending on how sweet you want it
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Mash the bananas and mix in the melted butter in a large bowl. Add the egg, sugar, and vanilla. Add the baking soda and a pinch of salt, and mix. Then, mix in the flour and chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into a greased 4×8 in. loaf pan. Bake for one hour. Cool. Attack and devour.
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For a sweet flavor without the calories, use splenda instead of sugar, and diabetics can enjoy it also without worry.
Posted by Susan at July 25th, 2007, 7:42 pmThanks for the tip Susan!
Posted by Caley at July 26th, 2007, 9:47 amI have a banana bread I created, yes!! it’s my own invention, no nuts, I am going to post it:
Dianne’s Banana Bread
Preheat oven 325º
Needed: 3 bowls & potato masher and/or a large fork to mash ripened bananas & mixer & greased loaf pan
Ingredients:
¾ cup sugar
½ cup oil (can substitute apple sauce for oil)
2 eggs
1 cup ripened mashed banana’s (4 to 5 bananas)
1 3/4 cups sifted bread flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (*less is optional if not eliminate salt)
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (& more cinnamon to sprinkle on top of batter when putting into oven)
Step 1
1st bowl
Combine: sugar, oil eggs: Mix: vigorously, using a whisk, until frothy. Set aside.
Step 2
2nd bowl
Mash: ripened bananas (4 to 5 bananas) until almost completely liquefied. Add: liquefied ripened mashed bananas into 1st bowl. Blend: together thoroughly, the ingredients from 1st bowl and 2nd bowl. (Don’t need mixer to blend together). Set aside.
Step 3
3rd bowl
Combine: Sift together: flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add honey, and vanilla to sifted dry ingredients. Stir: ingredients together in 3rd bowl. Fold: into flour mixture (3rd bowl) the combined 1st and 2nd bowl mixture. Blend: together all ingredients into the 3rd bowl thoroughly.
Step 4
Pour: batter into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle: cinnamon on top of batter for added taste. Bake: @ 325º for 1hour & 5 minutes and/or until crust is brown.
Posted by dianncy64 at October 18th, 2007, 11:48 pmI am going to post my foccaccia bread, this tastes equivelant to Macaroni Grill… Enjoy :)
Dianne’s Focaccia Bread
Preheat oven to: 375º
Ingredients:
2 7/8 cups flour
1 ½ Tablespoons instant yeast (or a 23oz packet)
2 teaspoons honey
2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for coating the dough (2 different times)
1 ¼ cups cold water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano (can use fresh)
1 teaspoon dried basil (can use fresh)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (can use fresh)
2 Tablespoons parmigiano cheese
Step 1
In a medium bowl, Combine: flour, yeast, honey, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and water. Mix: dough for 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt and continue to mix /knead dough, until elastic and smooth. Note: Can add basil, oregano, and rosemary in bread, just do a couple of shakes of each spice. Knead dough vigorously for 5 minutes
Step 2
Remove: Dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead: the dough vigorously for 2 minutes. Lightly-coat: a bowl with olive. Place: dough in bowl and turn the dough to lightly coat with olive oil. Cover: and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature.
Step 3
Divide: the dough into 2 equal parts and shape each into a 10-inch round disc. Place: each disc on an oiled pan and let rise at room temperature until doubled in thickness, about 2 to 3 hours.
Step 4
Spay: each disc with water and sprinkle with oregano, basil, and rosemary. Make: about 5 indentations in each disc, using your finger. Bake: in a preheated 375º oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden. Remove: from the oven and brush each loaf lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle: with Parmigiano cheese. Serve.
Makes: 2 loaves.
Note: Focaccia Bread can be frozen: wrap in foil after cooking. To re-heat: simply place foiled wrapped bread in the oven until warm.
I put rosemary, basil, and oregano in the dough then mix. * I use a ½ teaspoon of each. Tastes G R E A T
Posted by dianncy64 at October 18th, 2007, 11:52 pmLast but not least, I am going to post my Nissua Bread.
NISSUA BREAD
PREHEAT OVEN 350°
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 package yeast, active dry
3 TABLESPOONS warm water (lukewarm) Note: 10 seconds in microwave
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk, scaled and cooled
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
5 cups un-sifted, all-purpose flour
TOPPING:
2 TABLESPOONS sugar, plus more to sprinkle on top
2 TABLESPOONS butter
½ cup coffee
DIRECTIONS:
1) Melt butter and set aside to cool
2) Dissolve the yeas in the lukewarm water, using a whisk, whisk yeast in water until frothy, and set aside.
3) In a large mixing bowl (I use an electric mixer) combine beaten eggs, milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, yeast mixture and butter. Mix. Add flour and mix for 2 to 3 minutes.
4) Knead dough until smooth, on a floured surface or in mixer.
5) Shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl, cover and put in a warm place and let rise until nearly doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
6) Punch down and divide into 2 equal portions, or 3 for smaller loaves.
7) Divide each equal portion into thirds.
8) Roll each third between hands to form strands (look like long snakes haha) 18 to 24 inches long.
9) Place 3 strands (of a portion) on a smooth surface, crossing in center, and braid out to each end. Form braid into a ring or keep straight (I like it straight easier to work with) Repeat with other portion, form into 3 strands and braid.
10) Cover lightly with wax/parchment paper and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 2 hours.
11) TOPPING- Meanwhile, prepare the topping by combining sugar, butter and coffee in a small saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Keep warm, but do not let boil.
12) Place in a preheated 350° oven for about 10 minutes or until light brown-
13) Take Nissua Bread out of the oven, and using a pastry bush, brush the coffee (#11) mixture on the loves and return for another 15 minutes.
14) Remove from oven, sprinkle tops with a dusting of sugar and let cool.
NOTE: It was suggested to add a cup of golden raisins to mixture, or pecans. Alternatively, can sprinkle on top of Nissua Bread
Posted by dianncy64 at October 18th, 2007, 11:53 pmdianncy64 - thanks for all these great recipes! If you submit them to Recipe4Living.com, you can keep them in a recipe box and store them for later. We hope you’ll submit them for everyone to use! They look delicious!
Posted by Maxine at October 19th, 2007, 3:00 pm