Banana Bread ...

[Reverend Al]

Baked another 3 loaves of Banana Bread yesterday. We eat a lot of bananas in our house and when any of them start getting overly ripe I put them into the freezer to use for Banana Bread. The skins turn black when you freeze them, but don't let that worry you. When you thaw them out to bake with they are simple and easy to use. Just snip the stem ends off with a pair of scissors and then you can simply squeeze the ripe banana out of it's skin just like pushing a frozen Freezie out of it's plastic casing. This is my favorite Banana Bread recipe and I use it as a basis for other variations. With these ones I just made I added some raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg just to give them a bit of extra flavour.


BEST EVER BANANA BREAD

The title says it all -- it is the best. Freeze your extra loaves for holidays, gift giving, breakfast menus, etc. Makes 3 large loaves.

1 c. butter or oleo
3 c. sugar
6 eggs
3 c. sour cream
4 tsp. soda
2 tsp. vanilla
5 or 6 over-ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp salt
6 c. flour

Cream together the butter, the sugar and eggs. Mix sour cream and soda together in a separate bowl, and let stand until foamy. Add the rest of the ingredients to the above mixture and mix well. Place into 3 greased and floured 9 X 5 inch bread pans, or use parchment baking paper (which I do) and bake them for 50 minutes at 350 degree or until a toothpick comes out clean.

This bread almost tastes like a pound cake, but not as heavy. It is light and airy, with the slight taste of the bananas. I fill the bread pans up a bit more and just make 3 large loaves instead of 4 smaller loaves.

[JBinMN]

Looking Good!


My missus makes banana bread on occasion. I just read the recipe to her and she said other than the Sour cream, her recipe is very similar. She also says that she sometimes uses pancake mix instead of flour.

Then... She asked me if I wanted her to bake some...

I reckon you know what I said, don't ya?

LOL

My mouth is waterin' as I type.


Thanks! Rev. Al, for sharing the recipe & all!

[gbrown]

Sounds like a great recipe and some good looking loaves. Banana bread is mighty tasty. Last October, my wife got a very large pumpkin for carving. It sat on the table and wasn't carved, so I cut it up after the 1st of Nov. and got several large plastic bags of cubes. About half of it I used to make mini loaves of Pumpkin bread. Very tasty. Think I still have some in the freezer. Still have a couple of bags of cubes, I think. Lots of things you can do with pumpkin, just like bananas or other fruits and vegetables. Hate to see things go to waste.

[gwpercle]

I wish I could smell those cooling loaves....Oh my , they look so good !
Printing recipe ,
thanks Rev. Al ,
Gary

[granville_it]

That looks pretty good.

Mark

[NyFirefighter357]

I make this if can keep the bananas from being eaten. If don't have time or enough bananas, I'll freeze what I have and thaw them when needed. You can also substitute yogurt for the sour cream without much change, I use either depending on what's on hand. The problem here is they eat it too quickly! I might have to make some this week, they have been asking for it.

Ingredients
1 cup butter (2-sticks)
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs beaten
6-8 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream or yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional) or you can substitute 1 tsp cinnamon and 1tsp nutmeg)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use salted butter and never add salt)
3 teaspoons baking soda (not baking powder)
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) (Keep the nuts out of my loaf!)
1/4 cup white sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
Makes 2-9"x5" loafs

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (325F Convection toaster oven ). Grease & flour 2 -9"x5" loaf pans.
2. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.(optional)
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until bread is golden brown on top and set in the center, approx 60mins, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Reduce time depending on convection oven or convection toaster oven.
5. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling on a wire rack.

[Walks]

Sounds different from my recipe, But good.
We make 7 smaller loaves. Can give it to more people.

[Reverend Al]

Sounds like a great recipe and some good looking loaves. Banana bread is mighty tasty. Last October, my wife got a very large pumpkin for carving. It sat on the table and wasn't carved, so I cut it up after the 1st of Nov. and got several large plastic bags of cubes. About half of it I used to make mini loaves of Pumpkin bread. Very tasty. Think I still have some in the freezer. Still have a couple of bags of cubes, I think. Lots of things you can do with pumpkin, just like bananas or other fruits and vegetables. Hate to see things go to waste.

Well, if you want to thaw out some of that leftover pumpkin you have in your freezer ...

Pumpkin-Chocolate Loaf

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup black walnuts, finely chopped

* If pumpkin pie spice is not available, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon each of ginger and cloves.

Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine flour with baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Cream margarine in large mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar and cream at high speed of mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs; beat well. Turn mixer to low speed and add dry ingredients, alternating with pumpkin. Begin and end with dry ingredients; blend well after each addition. Stir in chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool, and then glaze with Spicy Glaze.

Spicy Glaze

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 to 2 tablespoons light cream

Combine confectioners' sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Blend in cream until the consistency desired (should be thin).


Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Ingredients:
½ cup warm water
1½ tbsp. instant yeast
2/3 cup warm milk
2 large eggs
1½ cups pumpkin puree
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
6½ cups bread flour (approximately)

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the warm water and yeast. Add in the milk, eggs, pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Mix briefly to combine. Add 4 cups of the bread flour to the bowl, and mix until a sticky dough has formed. Switch to the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the remaining flour until you have a dough that is smooth and elastic, and not sticky. Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide in half. Press each pieces into a rectangle about 1 inch thick and no longer than 9 inches long. With the long side of the dough facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing down to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Turn the loaf seam-side up and pinch the seam closed. Place the loaves in two well-oiled 9 x 5-inch loaf pans and press down gently so the dough touches all four sides of the pan. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the loaf reads 190° F. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.


Pumpkin Garlic Knots (These are GOOD and a little bit addictive!)

(Yields 2 batches)

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 3-1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1. For the dough: Pour the warm water into a medium bowl and whisk in the yeast. Let sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and the pumpkin puree.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients then pour in your wet ingredients.
3. Using a rubber spatula, pull all the ingredients together. When you can no longer mix, use your hands to start kneading the dough. Knead the dough until it comes together in a smooth and elastic ball, adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
4. Lightly oil another large bowl and put your dough ball inside it -- flipping over once to coat both sides lightly with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours; or until nearly doubled in size
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, put in a pizza stone (you may use a pan, too, but it works best with a stone), and divide the dough into two equal pieces. If you're planning to use the other half the next day, just put it in a large zip-lock bag and store in the fridge. You may also freeze the dough for up to three weeks.
6. To create the garlic knots: tear off sections of dough (2 tablespoons at a time) and roll them into a long snake shape. Tie that snake in a knot. Set aside and continue with the rest of the dough.
7. Once you've made all your knots, put them on your stone (or on your pan) and let bake until golden brown on the tops, about 10-15 minutes depending on size of knots.
8. While the knots are baking, in a bowl mix together the 1/3 cup olive oil with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. When the knots are done, toss in the olive oil mixture to coat.

[gbrown]

Hey! Thank you very much for the recipes. I can make 1 or 2 of each with what I got. I do appreciate them and plan on copying them into my recipe app.

[MaryB]

Sub rhubarb that is fine diced and stirred with sugar and cinnamon... Shake off excess sugar mix and add to the batter.

[gbrown]

Sub rhubarb that is fine diced and stirred with sugar and cinnamon... Shake off excess sugar mix and add to the batter.

Yep, there are a lot of veggies that can be substituted. Zucchini is another I can think of right off hand. I'm sure yellow crooked squash could be used, also. Probably any summer or winter squash. If someone had excess peaches, apples or pears, that would probably work, as well. Just as an aside, a lot of school districts are buying pizza that have a serving of vegetables within the crust (per slice) to keep within USDA nutrition guidelines. My app is Recipe Calc. It's easy to use and inexpensive. I got it years back when my wife was diagnosed with diabetes 2. Lets me input stuff and analyze the sugars. I make reduced sugar jellies/jams and recipes for her with it. Here's a site with a download for it. Neat thing about it is that it has a lot of commercial products in the ingredient list, and it allows you to input a new ingredient with the dietary analysis of the package.

https://download.cnet.com/Recipe-Cal...-10018700.html

[JBinMN]

Ahhh.

Zucchini bread.

Another favorite of mine...

[Loudenboomer]

And Zucchini or Banana cake either is fine. I Just want 3/8 inch of soft white cream cheese frosting on mine!

[Reverend Al]

Hey! Thank you very much for the recipes. I can make 1 or 2 of each with what I got. I do appreciate them and plan on copying them into my recipe app.

No problem, you're welcome!

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`m glad to see that there are a few recipes listed above here that have walnut pieces in the mix, sorta makes me not feel like `The Lone Stranger` about that ingredient.Robert