Banana Bread

I grew up eating banana and pumpkin breads.  This is the version I've made ever since I learned how to cook.  It doesn't have any nuts in it, because I was kind of a picky kid and hated nuts. 

As an adult, I really like them in baked goods, but I thought I'd make the kid-version this week.  If you like, you can add 1/2 cup of either chopped walnuts or pecans after all the flour is mixed in. 

This is a great recipe to make when:  1.  You overbought bananas, and they've turned spotty and brown;  and 2.  You think you don't have time to bake.  There's a reason they're called Quick Breads!  Other than the oven time, this takes maybe 10 minutes tops to mix up.


Juli's Plain Jane Banana Bread

½ cup                    butter, softened

1 ½ cups               white sugar
2                          eggs
½ cup                    sour cream
1 teaspoon            baking soda
1 cup                     mashed ripe bananas
2 cups                   flour

1.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease a non-stick loaf pan.  I used butter-flavor cooking spray.

2.  Cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs, sour cream, and baking soda and mix well.  Add mashed bananas and mix until smooth and silky.

3.  Add flour a little at a time and mix well.  Pour mixture into greased loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes.  Test for doneness with a clean butter knife, right in the center of the loaf.  That's the part most likely to be undercooked.

Yep, the center fell a little bit.  Still tastes great!

Practically Perfect Pumpkin Bread

This recipe is very easy.  For extra flavor, I used Penzey's Vietnamese cinnamon.  I also grated the nutmeg fresh - the smell makes it worthwhile, never mind the taste, which is fabulous!  For this batch I experimented with using butter-flavor Crisco that was pre-measured in sticks.  Jeffrey hates measuring Crisco out of the can, and he'd bought a package.  I never thought measuring Crisco was that big a deal, but I have to admit it was lovely just to peel the wrapper off a perfectly measured portion and pop it into the mixer!

If the pumpkin bread isn't quite done in an hour (use a clean knife to test the center), turn off the oven and cook for another 8-10 minutes.  I like my slices thickly spread with butter, but Jeffrey likes his plain.

Practically Perfect Pumpkin Bread

1 cup butter-flavor   Crisco

3 cups                        sugar

4                                eggs, beaten

1 15-ounce can           pumpkin

3 ½ cups                     flour

½ teaspoon                salt

2 teaspoons               baking soda

1 teaspoon                 ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon                 ground nutmeg

2/3 cup                     water

1.  Preheat oven to 350°.

2.  Beat Crisco and sugar together in stand mixer.  Add beaten eggs and pumpkin. 

3.  Mix remaining dry ingredients together and stir well.  Alternate flour mixture with water, and beat until batter is smooth. 

4.  Grease two loaf pans and pour in batter.  Bake for one hour.