Banana Nut Bread

2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. butter or shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
1/3 c. milk
1 t. vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Sift together flour, soda and salt. Cream the butter and sugar. Mix well. Add eggs and bananas and blend thoroughly. Combine the milk and lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it curdles a bit. Slowly and alternately fold in the milk and flour mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition. Stir in the nuts. Pour batter into lavishly buttered 9x5x3" pan and bake in a preheated 35o degree oven for one hour, or until bread springs back when lightly touched in the center.

From whence it came: Someone (oh how I wish I could remember who) gave us a little cookbook called Beard on Bread for a wedding gift and this yum-e recipe came from that little book. Sadly, it's the only recipe I've ever even made from the book, but it's so good it makes the book worth having. I really need to try some of Beard's other recipes because if they're as good as this one, they're worth making.

Why it's blogable: This is my favorite banana nut bread recipe. It comes out great every time...at least for me! My poor cute married daughter tried this recipe with questionable results...

(This is an actual picture from her blog.)
I think she was distracted when she made it and added too much sugar, if there is such a thing as too much sugar, which I guess there is when it comes to banana nut bread!

But then she tried it again later and redeemed herself!

(This is also an actual picture from her blog.)

Oh how I love this married daughter of mine. And she picked a really good sonny-in-law for me, too!

This is a good recipe. I always double it and make two, or a double recipe will make seven mini loaves. Mini loaves only take about 45 minutes to cook.

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:

3/4 C. Oats
3/4 C. Whole Wheat Flour - I have used regular too
1/2 t. Salt
1 t. Baking Powder
1/2 t. Baking Soda
3/4 C. Mashed Banana - about 1 1/2
1 Egg
1/2 C. Buttermilk
2 T. Olive Oil
Add nuts or chocolate chips if desired

Cook on preheated grill that has been sprayed with Pam. (Don't you think I should be getting some sort of kickback for letting them use my name? I think so, too. I'll have to look into that soon!)

From whence it came: This is a very proud mommy moment for me folks. My married, cooking daughter gave me this recipe and it is really really good! She made these scrumptious pancakes for me and The Spy Who Loves Me this past weekend when we visited her and the sonny-in-law in their cute little apartment in Provo, UT. I'm so proud that this girl is cooking, I don't even have the words to tell you how proud I am. You just don't understand, this same girl could not make jello when she lived at home. One night, many moons ago, she decided to make Fettuccine and she nearly killed us all...just with the smell! We couldn't eat it, it was just so ugly and greasy and sad. I know what you're thinking, "Pam is not a very good mom if she wouldn't even just try to pretend to like the ugliest Fettuccine in the world." Well, maybe you're right, but I didn't have the number for poison control handy so we didn't dare risk it! Well, this wonderful daughter of mine has completely redeemed herself by becoming a really good cook! Like I said, it's a proud mommy moment for me!

Why it's blogable: I've had other banana pancakes that were OK, but these babies are well beyond OK. The banana flavor is mild and the oatmeal makes them chubby and fluffy, which is great if you're a pancake, not so great if you're a person. I would imagine if you eat too many of these you might be chubby and fluffy like the pancakes, but you won't eat too many, because they are very filling and satisfying! And they have oatmeal and bananas in them so I deem them healthy! (Don't write me a strongly worded letter telling me that they aren't very healthy once you drown them in butter and syrup. You will ruin my fun when I eat them and that would be mean!) Speaking of syrup, did I mention that my wonderful cooking daughter makes homemade syrup? Well, she does, and I am tickled pink over it. I love you, my darling cooking daughter, and I love your banana pancakes, too!

One more thing: I've told you before that The Spy Who Loves Me isn't really into fruity stuff. Well, he bent his no fruity stuff rule for these and he was happy that he did, so now you know they must be good! And they are!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!