Dad's Banana Bread

Baking Banana Bread was something my Daddy did very well. I had finally gotten him to give me the recipe and I made little loaf's for the Holiday gift giving. I have this notion that our parents make things and we think they are the best in the world. Truth be told it is just the love and time they put into it that makes us love it so much

I looked at other recipes for banana bread and the results were really almost identical. But Love is the key to family and baking and cooking.

***When ever a banana starts to get over ripe I bag it and put it in the freezer for baking

Banana Bread Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups of flour
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed banana - - good and ripe
• 1/3 cup of shortening
• 2 tbsp. whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Daddy's Banana Bread

In a large bowl sift all your dry ingredients and set aside.

When I bake I like to get all my ingredient's together and ready. This way I can add and make my batter with out having to get this and that.

With an electric mixer beat the banana, shortening, and milk

Add the eggs (one at a time)  mix completely prior to adding the second egg

FYI the reason I sift all my dry ingredients together in a separate bowl so there are no pieces of flour that need to be broken up.

Add the flour mixture slowly into the mixer making sure each entry is fully mixed in. Once everything is mixed fold in your walnuts.

Grease and flour your baking pan/pans. Pour your batter into your baking pan. I usually make more batter than needed thus as you see extra big muffins came with this batch

Bake your banana breads accordingly. This mean the oven is at 350 degrees. If it is a regular loaf pan cook for approximately 45 to 60 minutes. I baked mine for 45 but kept an eye on it  Look when it starts to get a beautiful brown top put a toothpick through the top and if it comes out clean you are good to take them out.

Let them cool on a wire rack and Enjoy

Moist Leftover Fruit Bread/Cake

This cake is the best cake I ever ate. It is moist beyond any cake I ever made. It is delicious with the nice variety of leftover fruit I had to use. And I think the touch of yogurt was what really hit the moisture level I got. I love to watch cooking shows but hate going to most websites because they have more pop ups and advertising then I need. I will watch and write a recipe while watching the show. 

I don't always get all the ingredients and rarely check the site to make sure. I just write it on a napkins run to the kitchen and cook. After cooking it I did check to the site and yup she missed a few ingredients (or she left out) this one I grabbed from Pioneer Woman on TV and noted it was not the same as she had on the website but mine turned out heavenly so those missing ingredients and measurement made this cake awesome. 

Lets get started ....

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 stick of butter (softened)
• 1/2 small container of plain yogurt 2.5 ounces
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 old banana
• 1/2 cup approximately of blackberries
• 1 cup or so of blueberries

• Preheat your oven t 350 degrees

** Remember this is fruit that you need to use or put in the compost pile tomorrow. So use that brilliant head of your's to know how much. You got this!

To the left is my old fruit. I guess-da-mated

Alright the only tools you need is a large bowl and a tool to mix with. I did not use my mixer it
really was not necessary. Smash your banana and have it ready. Take your butter, sugar and vanilla, egg and mix together. Once mixed add your banana then the flour, baking soda and salt. I sift my dry ingredients into the batter this way there are no lumps. 

Make sure you mix your berries into some flour this will help them not to sink while cooking. 

Just toss them with about 3 tablespoons of regular flour. 

Once they are coated with some flour just gently add them to the batter. Mix it together be gentle at this point. Just toss them with about 3 tablespoons of regular flour. 

Your cooking pans should be sprayed with some kind of oil. Then if you want add parchment paper. I do because it makes the bread easier to remove from the pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper and lay it into the pan let it fall over the long edges of the baking pan. Like the picture yes I cut my just a bit to long. But it worked well anywho.

Alrighty now pop it into the oven and bake for 50 + minutes. Use a toothpick to pierce the center to make sure it is done. When you bring the toothpick out of the bread it will be clean.

Let the bread cool for about 20 minutes and then transfer it to a rack or plate of you have no rack. I never seem to be able to wait and I cut into it in the first 15 minutes. Granted that many times it falls apart but it is so delicious even crumbled a bit. And butter helps it stick.  

Enjoy! 

Super Moist Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe is one of the most moist Banana Bread I have ever made. I do know it is the buttermilk that makes the difference. What I did do is make a second recipe using my usual recipe to see if there is any real difference. In my years of cooking I have found that sometimes the ingredients give or take make a big or no difference. This one was Big!

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas mashed
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup of buttermilk
1 1/2  cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 to 1 cup walnuts (optional Chocolate Chips)

* Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

*Grease and flour coat a 9x5 inch pan



I know having everything ready prior to starting any cooking project this works best for me. So with that I have smashed my banana. I used a potato masher but a fork works just as well.

A couple of tips for baking. Always sift the dry ingredients. When you do the flour has no lumps and the baking powder and soda are incorporated. Yes it is old but it works. Thank you

Nanny ! 

I am a stickler about shifting the dry ingredients and mixing the wet ingredients thoroughly.

The tool you see me using on my bananas is my potato masher. I use this for everything from baking to preserves. This is getting to be more like a tool show then banana bread recipe.

Now let us start to incorporate the ingredients. 

To start in a large bowl or mixer stir together the softened butter and the sugar. Next in a small bowl mix up your eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract mix well and then add this to your butter mixture and combine.  I like to mix some of my ingredients separately then combine this make me sure that everything has mixed well. Nothing worse than a chunk of brown sugar that did not dissolve or a pocket of flour that needed sifting.

Now it is time to gather and join all the ingredients together and add your bananas and walnuts. Mix them until well combined.  Have your baking pan ready and the oven warmed up. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and put it into the oven. Cook for 30 minutes and check the doneness with a toothpick. If not done give it 5 more minutes at a time. Remember less is better. 

Cool on a rack and cut and serve. 

Banana Muffins using Pudding Mix

I do love to make and use a box of pudding in a recipe it gives it extra moisture. In this muffin recipe you can substitute a box of banana pudding if you want. I find it just gives it to much banana taste. 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

2 cups ripe bananas - mushed
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 package of vanilla pudding
1 and a 1/2 cups of white flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup pecans - chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips - chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.



Start by mixing your sugar and oil. It will just moisten the sugar not make it creamy.

Now add the two eggs, vanilla and banana.







Next it is time to add your dry ingredients.Have them all in one bowl. the sugars, pudding, baking soda, four and salt. Do sift you know how I feel about siting the dry ingredients.

Once all your ingredients are incorporated and mixed up it is time to add the extra's. his is your nuts and chips.

Fill the muffin lined cups 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes please always check the muffins all ovens are different when it comes to heat and baking time.

 They look beautiful. Baked to perfection.


Cool on a wire rack and serve with butter! 

Banana Muffins with Oatmeal and Pecans

These Banana Pecan-Oatmeal Muffins came from yet another rainy day.  If it rained as much as it does up North I would weigh so much more. They are moist and have a great crunch due to the great ingredients.





It is bad enough that I need to loose 6 pounds. Back to the Muffins.

They are super good and have a bit of a crunch.

I did make a few changes to this recipe I changed the sugar to half white, and half brown.
I added one cup of oatmeal but that is about it and they still turned out great.
The oatmeal gave them a super nice crunch.

Ingredients

4 ripe bananas - mushed
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 and a 1/2 cups of white flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of oatmeal
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Start by mixing your sugar and oil. It will just moisten the sugar not make it creamy.
Now add the two eggs, vanilla and banana.





I always sift my dry ingredients together mostly from habit. But it does insure your stuff is well mixed no surprise lumps after they are cooked.





Alright you can now add your dry ingredients.  Mix into the wet do this by hand meaning do not use your mixer you do not want to over mix this combination.

 They say it makes them dry.  NOT in my humble opinion becuase all the ingredents keep ths reicpe moist as can be.   Hum interesting !



Now fill you muffin/cupcake tins with the mix. Fill the cups just to the top. They rise but not Puffy! About 1/4" from the top.



Once your cups are filled put them in the oven and bake at 350 degrees until just light brown on the top of the muffins.

It should bake for about 25 minutes. Everyone has a different degree of heat in their oven so adjust appropriately. Check the muffins after 12 minutes to insure no burn and turn the tray.

Moist Banana Muffins

Banana Muffins these are moist and so great with a cube of butter on them.  I took a my dad's original recipe and tweaked it. But one thing I changed was replace cashews instead of walnuts. I buy my nuts by the best price and the best time. 

There are so many recipes that use walnuts that I have re-mixed using other nuts. After all a nut is a nut unless you have an acquired taste to one. But walnut's are so very healthy for you.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your muffin tins or grease. Gather your ingredients. I bought some adorable little cupcake holders. 

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup white sugar
1 stick softened butter
2 large eggs
1 to 2 cups mashed bananas
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips (I used mini chips)
Preparations
Make sure your cold ingredients from the refrigerator are room temperature.
Mixing warm with cold just makes things get that curdled look. It does not hurt just looks creepy
Again have your oven at 350 degrees and your muffin's tin ready.
Sift together the flour and baking soda in a bowl on the side.
I

In your mixing/mixer bowl place your softened butter and sugar and mix until well blended.
Now add your buttermilk, next add your egg's, now add your mushed banana's, add your final ingredient your vanilla extract.

Beat these ingredients until they are light and fluffy.

Add your nuts. You can make this recipe with no nuts it is just as delicious. Also it will make no difference in the moisture of the Banana Muffins.

Now add half of your dry ingredients using your mixer until just blended.  
Now by hand add the remaining flour.
This batter has the same consistency as waffle batter it is thick but light and airy.

Cook your muffins for 20 minutes and then check them to see if you will need a few more minutes.

I cook mine for 20 minutes then turn the muffin pan to make sure the muffins are cooked even. My stove sometimes is moody and cooks more toward the back then the front. Stupid Oven.

These will need a few more minutes I want the top just a light brown. Oh right here is a trick for your baking muffins and cupcakes with left over batter .

If you have batter but not enough to fill your tins just fill the empty with water this way the muffins cook evenly. Good trick. Be careful taking the tin out the water is hot I know! Ouch!

Let them cool on a rack and do your second batch. To take your warm muffins out.

Butter on the top when eating is a must do!

Bananas Bran Muffins

                                         

Banana and Bran what a great combo.

Bran Muffin are good for you but add a little potassium and Boom your healthy.

I know I do use sugar, butter and all thing's fat-ish but the taste I have not yet been won over by all our gluten free, fat free la-de-da. It works for some people I get it. But my mind and body always brings me back to my family and the original way they cooked. All my products are healthy store stuff and my flour is ground locally at Great Harvest in Newbury Park .When it comes to baking it is such an exact science but I am doing my best to put that to rest. There are somethings you can bake and do a bit of tweaking.

Not wanting to bore you but a few facts. I found this recipe and it noted that the bran must be soaked for a while to mush it up. The recipe called out to let the bran get soft by using an egg. I have fresh eggs from the neighbors that do not get refrigerated. I know most people do not get fresh but lucky me. Go read A bit about egg's when you have time. Also she uses regular milk for a lack or or not wanting to buy buttermilk. Hey did you know you can freeze the left over. Buttermilk freezes great BUT you can only reuse for baking once frozen.

Where was I ? Shoot let get baking!



The origional recipe  did not tell me how many eggs so I emailed the site but alas no response. But I figured it out. Good Job Baker Girl! Look push come to shove I made the recipe unique to my own taste and thought. Dangerous but great! They turned out delicious, look all I wanted to do originally was use some frozen banana's and buttermilk. .

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of All Bran Cereal
1/3 cup of buttermilk
1/3 cup molasses
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 to 3 mashed bananas
2 large eggs room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts. I used pecans but any nut works.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 and have a 12 cupcake tray ready with cupcake insert or  well greased and floured down. I like cupcake insert's it makes clean up and eating quick and easy. Plus it keep the bottom half if the muffin moist.

Step one is to measure your bran and put it into you mixing bowl. Add the molasses, buttermilk, vegetable oil. Mix this all together and let it sit until you add the rest of the ingredient to the mixing bowl. Cover and let it sit while you gather and sift the dry ingredients.






While this is softening up take a separate bowl and sift together your dry ingredients. NOT the brown sugar. Smash you bananas also in a separate plate or bowl. I use a plate to smash the bananas on with a potato smasher.

I like the consistency kind-a-thick yet cooks up mushish.


I sift my dry ingredients together to make sure there are not clumps of flour and the baking soda and powder get mixed into the flour. 



Add your bran mixture in to your mixer. Turn the mixer to low and add the smashed banana and let it come together. Slowly add one egg at a time making sure they are mixed in prior to adding the next one. Now slowly add your brown sugar once this is mixed well on low you can start to add the dry ingredient.

This batter is thick but do not let this worry you. Fill the holder's about 3/4 full they puff up nicely. 

Bake your muffin on 350 for approximately 20 to 30 minutes checking them with a toothpick after 20 minutes. Every oven is different!

You will enjoy these and so will the kid's.

xoxo