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Friday, June 4, 2010

Going Bananas

I've been in the mood for banana bread.  Maybe it was the banana nut bread my mother-in-law brought over after we first moved.  Maybe it was the dark brown bananas sitting on my counter.  I don't know for sure.

What I do know is I love making banana bread, and I love the way it makes my house smell.  This is another recipe I found in my Cooking Light Complete Cookbook.

You'll need:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray



Now, for the record, my three bananas did not add up to 1.5 cups.  Also, I couldn't find plain low-fat yogurt, so I bought vanilla-flavored low-fat yogurt, seeing as how I was putting vanilla extract in there anyway, and I'm a big fan of vanilla.

Here's what you do:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
3.  Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until well-blended.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the bananas, yogurt, and vanilla, beating until blended.  Add the flour mixture and beat at a low speed just until moist.
4.  Spoon batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.

According to this recipe, there are 14 servings, each of which is 187 calories and has 4.3g of fat.  I have no idea what a "normal" slice of banana bread would have in it, but I can only assume this is better than that.

And finally, I know you're looking at that original picture and thinking, "Um, Amy?  There are 6 bananas there.  I know math has never been a strong point for you, but I'm pretty sure you can do basic addition."

It's true, I can.  So, what do you do when you have double the number of bananas you need, but only 1 bread pan?  Make banana muffins, of course!  (I only baked these for about 35-40 minutes, so make sure you adjust your baking time.)



Then, if you're feeling especially generous and brave, you could take those muffins over to your new neighbors that just moved in across the street, because you know you felt welcomed into the addition when your neighbor did it for you.  If I happen to see them out tomorrow and it doesn't look like I'd be intruding, that's my plan.

P.S. Those of you here from Weekend Cooking with Beth Fish Reads might also want to check out my review of A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes From My Kitchen Table, by Molly Wizenberg.  Absolutely fabulous.

12 comments:

  1. Umm ... just hopping through. I've never had banana bread

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  2. I love banana bread and this looks like a great recipe with the yogurt -- and I think vanilla yogurt would be wonderful! The muffins look like they rose beautifully. And you can bring baked goods over to my house any ole time!

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  3. Yummmm.
    I always seem to have old bananas around so I think I will try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. I just made banana bread and am going to try this recipe next. The yogurt sounds like a great addition.

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  5. Love banana bread. Can't wait to try this!!

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  6. You and I must be kindred souls. I Love banana bread with a capital L. Sometimes I buy bananas and don't eat them just so they'll go brown. I like them best in muffins. I usually sprinkle just a few chocolate chips on top. Just an extra treat.

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  7. I absolutely love banana bread, but have never tried a recipe that uses yogurt. Will bookmark this for next time. Now I'm off to check that book review...

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  8. I love very ripe banana muffins.

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  9. I found myself making banana bread about once week this last winter--it just always sounded good and I always seemed to have old bananas lying around. I use my mother-in-law's recipe-it has chocolate chips and marachino cherries!
    *smiles*

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  10. I love banana bread but for some strange reason have never made it.
    wait, did someone say maraschino cherries??

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  11. Such a fan of banana bread...the perfect breakfast! (And I loved A Homemade Life, too!)

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  12. I have super overly ripe bananas in my fridge right now, just ready to be turned into delicious bread! You totally read my food-mind on this one. L(

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