Banana Bread

YUMMY! I got this recipe from Amber's Delectable Delights.

I made 1 loaf plain without nuts and the other loaf, I added 1/2 cups pecans and I also added 1/2 cups chocolate chunks. I took them both to work and they were devoured. Everyone especially liked the pecan/chocolate chip one.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas, smashed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc)

Directions:
-Combine all ingredients except for nuts, using a mixer.- Add nuts and mix by hand- Grease bread pan
-Cook for 50 minutes at 350 degrees
-Check with toothpick for doneness (may need to cook longer, possibly 15 more minutes)

This recipe can also be turned into muffins. Simply scoop the batter into 12 muffin cups. Cook at the same temperature but reduce bake time to 25 minutes.

White Bread

I also have the Better Homes and Gardens Breast Cancer edition, but I actually found this bread while looking at the blog of Amber's Delectable Delights.

There is nothing better than eating it hot from the oven. I took the other loaf to my coworkers and they loved it as well. The texture is so good. I mixed most of it with my dough hook on the mixer, and then took it out to knead the flour in the rest of the way.

White Bread
(Source: Better Homes & Gardens, New Cook Book, Limited breast cancer edition)

Low fat
Prep: 30 minutes
Rise: 1 1/4 hours (divided)
Bake: 40 minutes
Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients:
5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups milk or buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter, margarine or shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions:
1) In a large mixing bowl combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, butter and salt just until warm (120 to 130 degrees F) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. (I probably stirred in a total of 5 1/4 cups while in the mixture and then maybe another half a cup while kneading)

2) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes).

3) Punch dough down. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile lightly grease two 8x4x2 loaf pans. (As a total accident experiment, I had one metal loaf pan and one glass loaf pan, and there was no difference in the end product!)

4) Shape dough halves into loaves by patting or rolling. To shape by patting, gently pat and pinch, tucking edges underneath. To shape by rolling, on a lightly floured surface roll each dough half into a 12x8 inch rectangle. Roll up each rectangle, starting from a short side. Seal seams with your fingertips.

5) Place shaped dough halves in prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30 to 40 minutes).

6) Bake in a 375 degree oven about 40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning). Immediately remove bread from pans. Cool on wire racks.