Banana Bread

I don't remember ever meeting my Great Grandma Bitton.  I think she must have been a great chef though, because this recipe was hers, and it makes really delicious banana bread.

Banana Bread

(Great Grandma Bitton)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter

2 eggs beaten

1 cup mashed banana

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup nuts

bake at 350

The recipe didn't really come with directions.  So, this is my interpretation.  I use softened butter, whole wheat flour, and I omit the nuts (though sometimes I add chocolate chips, which brings it to a whole new level of deliciousness.)

Spray pans with cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350.

Peel overripe bananas and place in bowl of mixer. (The riper the better.  Black is good.)

Mash up with paddle attachment.  Set aside.  (At this point I always put the bananas in a glass measuring bowl and see how many cups of mashed bananas I have.  I usually end up doubling, or tripling the recipe.)

Place softened butter, and granulated sugar in your bowl.

Mix with paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping bowl bottom and sides, often.

Beat eggs with a fork,

and slowly add to butter mixture, scraping sides and bottom of bowl often.

It looks nice and fluffy and delicious.

Now, slowly add the mashed bananas.

Sift in your baking soda and salt.

Add flour 1/2 cup at a time.

Mix until just combined (that's your secret weapon,) do not over mix.  Add your chocolate chips or nuts, if you want them.

Pour into prepared pans (and don't try to fit a quadrupled recipe into three pans like I did.  The loaves will be too large to cook through to the centers.  Though the under-baked sections were delicious turned into banana bread french toast with whipped cream.)

and bake at 350 for about an hour.  You'll know they are done when you wiggle the pan and the middle doesn't jiggle, touch the top of the bread and it doesn't sink, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Watch it closely and check after 30 minutes.

Cool in pans for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.  (Before you take the loaves out of the pans, run a spatula around the edges, and force it under the bottom of the loaf to release your loaf from the pan. Otherwise some may stick to the bottom and stay stuck to the pan.)

Mango Smoothies

Mango Smoothies

Feel free to play with this recipe by adding any fresh or frozen fruit, fresh spinach, or frozen juice concentrate.  I never measure anything, and it never turns out the same, but it is always seriously delicious.  Just use lots of mango.

ingredients:

frozen mangoes

bananas, peeled and frozen (freeze them when you have extra laying around)

plain yogurt

frozen Blueberries (*optional)

liquid stevia

In a tall pitcher, place your frozen fruit.  Defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Just let it sit there so it isn't ice hard when you blend it.




Add a few scoops of plain yogurt,  (The yogurt can be omitted for a less creamy and lighter smoothie.)

a few drops of stevia,

and fresh fruit or anything else of smoothie material that you have lying around your kitchen that sounds tasty or needs to be used up.

Blend with an immersion blender, (or a really powerful blender) while adding liquid (milk, juice, or water) as necessary.

  I have a really powerful immersion blender which can mix it quite nicely without any added liquid.  That way it makes a really nice thick, sherbety dessert to be enjoyed by spoon.  Adding liquid makes it thinner, which is nice if you want to be able to drink it with a straw, or want a lighter smoothie for breakfast, or as a snack.  Either way, it is incredibly delicious.  And, did I hear you say "healthy"?  Check the ingredients one more time.  You won't believe it yourself when you taste it.