Banana Bread

Yes it is possible to have your cake and eat it too. Well i should say have your bread and eat it too, since the recipe in question is for banana bread. The banana is one of nature's perfect foods. It's a hand fruit that is naturally sweet, plus the longer it ripens the sweeter it gets. Has a nice fragrance. Loads of fiber. It's encased in a good protective carrying case. It's inexpensive. Low in fat. Low in cholesterol. A good source of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. It's versatile and many different dishes can be made using it as the base.

But for now, let's concentrate on one of it's more fun incarnations. The best thing about banana bread is that it can be served as either a side dish, or dessert. It's pretty tasty as part of a breakfast menu too if you're looking to do something different from just having a banana as a garnish for your cereal.

The recipe referenced here does not use raisins, cinnamon or nuts, but my preference is to add all three and a touch of cream. For the nuts i like to use walnuts and "baking" raisins for the raisins because they are more plump and retain their moisture better in the oven. If muffins rather than a loaf are preferred double the flour and baking powder measurement. A garnish of fresh whipped cream makes a nice finishing touch.

"Recipe For Banana Bread: Ingredients: 3 large well-ripened bananas 1 egg 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 1/3 cup milk 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 cup flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the bananas. Put them in a mixing bowl. Mash the bananas with a fork. Add the egg, oil, milk, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix well with the fork. Slowly stir the flour into the banana mixture. Stir for 20 seconds until the flour is moistened.

Lightly grease the bread pan with a little oil -OR- cooking spray -OR- line it with wax paper. Pour the batter into the bread pan. Bake for 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool for 5 minutes before removing it from the pan."

Text Credit: USDA Image Credit: CDC