Banana Bread

Banana Bread

from Baking Illustrated

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

1 ¼ cups walnuts, chopped coarse

¾ cup sugar

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 ½ cups)

¼ cup plain yogurt

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and walnuts together in a large bowl; set aside.
4. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
6. The bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

This is my favorite banana bread recipe. Best I've ever tried. I like it with or without the nuts.

sharing time

Well, I am in between ideas for the next few weeks of sharing. I don't really want to do the alphabet thing again, just because. I like a little variety. So, for now I'm just sharing.

This recipe is for rolls and was given to me by Catherine. I tried it and loved it. The rolls were very good and the kids ate them up. I tried it again on Friday and used 1/2 wheat flour this time. They were still great and it's just so convenient to put a bowl of dough in the fridge for later. I also love that they use potato buds and powdered milk, which I have in my food storage. This is a keeper for me!

Refrigerator Dough For Quick Soft Rolls

Throw refrigerator dough together in the morning or evening, or whenever you have a few spare

moments. The small amount of yeast allows the dough to keep in the fridge for up to 5 days

without developing a "sour" taste. We kept one batch for 6 days; the rolls were a little denser, but still tasted good.

Note: If you plan to use the dough within 12 hours or so, knead it and then let it

rise at room temperature for 1 hour before refrigerating. — S.G.

4 cups (17 ounces)King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sugar*

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup (2 ounces, 1/2 stick) unsalted butter

6 tablespoons (2 1/4 ounces) potato flour OR 1/2 cup (1 ounce) dried potato buds

6 tablespoons (2 ounces) Baker's Special Dry Milk or non-fat dry milk

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) water

1 teaspoon instant yeast

*Use up to 4 tablespoons sugar if you like your rolls on the sweet side.

Manual /Mixer Method: Combine all of the ingredients and mix till cohesive. Knead the dough,

by hand or mixer, till it's smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes, adding up to 4 tablespoons additional

water if needed. The dough will become shiny and elastic, but should stay very soft, since it firms

up quite a bit in the refrigerator. Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and

refrigerate at least overnight, or for up to 5 days.

Bread Machine Method: Place all of the ingredients into the bucket of your bread machine.

Program the machine for dough or manual, and press Start. Check the dough after about 15

minutes; it should be smooth-looking, but very soft. Add additional water or flour as needed.

Cancel the machine after the final kneading cycle, and refrigerate the dough as directed at left.

Shaping: Remove the dough from the refrigerator, fold it over gently a few times, and cut off the

desired amount for the number of rolls you want. You'll need about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces dough per

dinner roll (golf-ball sized pieces); about 4 1/2 ounces per hamburger bun (a ball of dough about

2 1/2 inches in diameter); or 3 ounces per hotdog bun (about 2 1/4 inches in diameter). Return

the remaining dough to the refrigerator.

To form dinner rolls, shape the pieces into balls, then roll them under your lightly cupped fingers

on an unfloured work surface to make smooth balls.

To form hamburger buns, shape each piece into a smooth ball, and flatten the balls till they're about 4 inches in diameter, trying to keep the tops of the rolls smooth; the nicer the top looks at this point, the nicer it will turn out to be once it's baked.

To form hotdog buns, roll the balls into cylinders 5 1/2 inches in length. Flatten the cylinders slightly; dough rises more in the center, so this will give the buns gently rounded tops.

Place the shaped rolls onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them, and let them

rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until they're very puffy.

**Note that these rolls need to rise longer than rolls made from unrefrigerated dough; be sure to leave yourself sufficient time for this extra rise.

Baking: Bake the dinner rolls in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Bake the

hamburger or hotdog buns in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 to 22 minutes. The rolls or buns will be golden brown when done. Yield: 36 ounces of dough, enough for 18 to 24 rolls, 8 hamburger buns, or 12 hotdog buns.

Nutrition information per serving (1 roll, 27g): 72 cal, 1g fat, 2g protein, 12g complex

carbohydrates, 1g sugar, 1g dietary fiber, 4mg cholesterol, 126mg sodium, 71mg potassium, 19RE vitamin A, 1mg iron, 17mg calcium, 29mg phosphorus.

Nutrition information per serving (1 hamburger bun, 124g): 325 cal, 6g fat, 9g protein, 53g

complex carbohydrates, 3g sugar, 2g dietary fiber, 18mg cholesterol, 568mg sodium, 321mg

potassium, 85RE vitamin A, 2mg vitamin C, 5mg iron, 77mg calcium, 131mg phosphorus.

Nutrition information per serving (1 hotdog bun, 82g): 216 cal, 4g fat, 6g protein, 36g complex

carbohydrates, 2g sugar, 2g dietary fiber, 12mg cholesterol, 379mg sodium, 214mg potassium,

56RE vitamin A, 1mg vitamin C, 3mg iron, 51mg calcium, 87mg phosphorus.

This recipe reprinted from The Baking Sheet Newsletter, Vol. XII, No. 5, Summer 2001

issue.

z is for zucchini

Zucchini bread is a favorite with my kids. It's easy and healthy, especially when you use whole wheat flour and no chocolate chips. My kids will eat it for breakfast, snacks, lunch, more snacks, and even with dinner. If it has chocolate chips I could probably convince them it was dessert too. They love it. Here is the recipe I use for our beloved zucchini bread:

Zucchini/Pumpkin Bread (Betty Crocker)

3 cups shredded zucchini or 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

1 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla

4 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. baking powder

½ cup coarsely chopped nuts

½ cup raisins or chocolate chips, if desired

Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans with shortening.

Mix zucchini (or pumpkin), sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts and raisins or chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly between pans.

Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack.

Remove from pans. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

t is for tortillas

I first tried making my own tortillas a couple years ago when I was pregnant with William. It was springtime, which doesn't last very long here in Houston, and I would let the kids play in the backyard while I made dinner. I opened the kitchen window above the sink and listened to them enjoy the cool weather and I rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled tortillas all night long. Well, that's what it felt like anyway. The first recipe I ever used made 24 tortillas, so that was quite the undertaking in one night. This recipe, which I use often, makes only 8 tortillas and is softer and tastier. I made them last night and we enjoyed tacos. I love making tacos because my kids eat it up and ask for more. Some of my skinnier kids actually get some nutrition! It's a comforting sight.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

1 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup canola oil

2/3 cup water

Combine flours, baking powder, salt.

Stir in oil and water all at once, using mixer or fork to toss quickly.

When it's all moistened, knead a few times.

Form 8 balls of dough.

Roll dough on floured surface until 7 inches or larger in diameter. Use even strokes that don't reach to the edge, turning over frequently.

Place tortilla in an ungreased, frying pan preheated on medium-high heat.

Cook 30-40 seconds on one side, turn over and cook 30-40 seconds on the other side.

Repeat with each ball of dough.

Stack tortillas on a plate as they are cooked and cover with a clean dish towel to keep soft.

r is for rolls

My Grandma Page used to make rolls for every Sunday dinner (as far as I remember). They were always rolled up, browned, and buttered to perfection every time. I remember watching her pull a large metal bowl out of her fridge that was overflowing with dough. The puffy contents were topped with an inverted plate that was now stuck to the cold dough. She'd take it out, punch it down and proceed to create her Sunday dinner masterpiece. I loved those rolls.

Dinner rolls are some of my favorite things to make. They are fairly simple and can be really pretty, I think. I'm weird about the way my food looks. I use the Lion House recipe and it works well every time. I've heard a lot of people complain about their bread and rolls not rising correctly here, but I don't have problems with mine. I don't know what's different about making them here because this is the place I've done most of my baking. I'm sure it differs a little depending on humidity and temperature and stuff. But this one recipe is from Utah and works well here, so good luck!

Lion House Dinner Rolls

2 cups warm water
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 Tbsp. dry yeast
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or bread flour

In large bowl or electric mixer, combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add about ½ cup flour at a time and mix again until dough is soft, but not sticky. (The entire amount of flour may not be necessary.)

Scrape dough off sides of bowl and pour one Tbsp. oil all around sides of bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so it is covered with oil. (This helps prevent dough from drying out.) Cover with plastic and allow to rise in warm place until double in size. Sprinkle cutting board or counter with flour and place dough on floured board. Roll out and cut rolls into desired shape and size. Place on greased or parchment lined baking pans. Let rise in warm place until rolls are double in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot.

n is for naan

Well, I did it. I found a recipe and I tested it today. I would say it was a hit! It wasn't too involved and, although we are saving it for dinner tonight, I made two flatbread pizzas with it for lunch. Kate, who never eats lunch, gobbled it up and asked for more. It made for a fast, easy, tasty lunch. I think I may make this every couple weeks so I have some on hand. Thanks for asking for this one, Abby!

Naan (From Betty Crocker's New International Cookbook)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup milk

vegetable oil

poppy seeds

Mix all ingredients except milk, oil, and poppy seeds. Stir in enough milk to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth, about five minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rest in warm place 3 hours.

Divide dough into 6 or 8 equal parts. Flatten each part on lightly floured surface, rolling about 1/4 inch thick. Brush with oil; sprinkle with poppy seed.

Place 2 cookie sheets in oven ; heat to 450. Remove cookie sheets from oven and place breads on hot cookie sheets. Bake until firm, about 6-8 minutes.

Joey took over the "lightly floured surface" after I was done rolling and had a ball. She was singing and chatting and just making pictures in the flour. She also enjoyed "painting" the oil onto the bread. It's a good one to have little helpers on.

b is for bread

About two years ago I decided I was done buying bread. I was going to stretch my dollar a little further by making the effort to make all our bread. Then I got pregnant and that little extra effort went down the tubes with everything else I let slide when I'm sitting on the couch trying not to be sick every day. So, I'm back on the wagon now. I've been making all our bread for about a month now and I'm still not pregnant, so I'm hoping it continues for a while. I even make our tortillas and hamburger buns from scratch, but that's another post. Today I'm going to share one of my favorite bread/roll recipes. It's from my Grandma Doxey, who is pictured above with my mother, me and my two daughters. Four generations in one super-comfy 1 1/2 chair. Anyway, it's in her cook book that we got about two years ago for Christmas. Here it is:

Grandma Lou's White Bread (which I make into wheat bread )

Combine:

2 Tbsp. yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4-1/2 cup sugar

Let that rise and bubble for about 10 minutes and then add:

1 Tbsp. salt

1 cup hot water

2 cups white flour

3 cups wheat flour

Mix until the dough pulls from the sides of the bowl, adding more wheat flour as needed. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Form 2 loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

It always turns out good. I often mess with the wheat:white flour ratio, so you can be creative. We eat it as toast for breakfast, "butter-jams" for lunch (William's favorite way to say pb&j), and with soup for dinner. It's a staple around here lately.

Here are just a couple of other things I do when I make any bread:

1. Before I let the dough rise in the bowl I take it out and pour about 1 Tbsp. oil in the bowl. Then I add the dough and turn it to oil all sides. That keeps the dough from drying out while it rises. I always cover my bowl with a clean dish towel. My favorites are the ones my mom sent me from Russia.

2. I grease the loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick spray. Then I sprinkle cornmeal on the bottoms and tap it onto the sides (like flouring a cake pan). It really helps the loaves not stick to the pan and come out prettier.

3. Only add as much flour as is absolutely necessary in a bread recipe. The softer the dough is, the better it will taste and the longer it will stay soft. You know the homemade bread that is delicious right out of the oven and painfully dry 24 hours later. This helps eliminate that problem. It gets better and better with practice too.

4. Tapping on the bottom of the loaves after you remove them from the pans will tell you if they're done. They should sound hollow inside. Don't leave them in the pans long at all or they'll get soggy on the bottom.

5. To keep the tops of the loaves soft and protect the fragile corners, I take a stick of margarine and unwrap it until about a tablespoon is exposed. Then I rub that along the tops and down the sides of the loaves where it crumbles most when it's sliced. It doesn't add much calorically, but it helps with the softness. I usually end up using less than one tablespoon to soften both loaves.

I think a lot of people are really intimidated by the idea of making bread. If you are one of those people I think you should give this recipe a try. Let me know how it goes. And let me know if you have a recipe you love. Sharing makes everything more fun... That's what I tell my kids, at least.