Bananas are versatile. They are delicious to eat out of hand, in salads, desserts and smoothies. When they approach over-ripeness, they make splendid breads and muffins. Arlene Siems asked for a banana nut bread recipe, and the response has been generous.
Sue Riedl shares the recipe that the Davis family in Tampa uses to make loaves for troops stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. Emily Kotosky and Eadie Nieman send a recipe for banana bread that can be made in a loaf pan or a 9- by 13-inch pan.
Emily includes a topping that adds an extra fillip. Winifred Chassareau starts with packaged yellow cake mix when she makes banana nut bread and writes that it is the best and easiest recipe she has tried. Carolyn Jennings uses buttermilk biscuit as the basis of the banana bread; she notes that she has tried every banana bread recipe she has read, and this one is without a doubt the best.
Wendy Berg of Port Richey has adapted her banana nut bread recipe to her husband's health needs by using Eggbeaters instead of the eggs, by substituting an equal amount of applesauce for the shortening called for, and by reducing the amount of sugar to taste if the bananas are very ripe.
Wendy has found that the bread comes out tasting delicious.
For: Arlene Siems of St. Petersburg.
From: Sue Riedl of Brandon.
Recipe: Davises' Banana Nut Bread for the troops at MacDill Air Force Base.
Davises' Banana Nut Bread
4 medium bananas
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (Crisco or Wesson)
2 extra-large eggs
teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
Mix bananas with a mixer, not a blender, then add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together.
Fold into banana mixture and mix thoroughly. Stir in nuts.
Pour batter into three 8- by 4-inch loaf pans that have been greased or lined with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, or until bread tests done. Makes 3 loaves.
From: Emily Kotosky of South Pasadena and Eadie Nieman of Gulfport.
Recipe: Banana Pecan Bread. Emily found her recipe in an article that credited the recipe to Innkeepers' Best Cookies by Laura Zahn.
Banana Pecan Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1 cup sugar, plus additional for pan, divided
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
Topping:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle it with sugar as you would flour if flouring the pan, coating the inside and shaking out the excess.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the bananas, one at a time. Beat in the eggs, also one at a time.
In a separate bowl, mix the baking soda, salt and flour. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture a third at a time and mix after each addition. Stir in the nuts. Turn the batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While bread is baking, combine the melted butter, cinnamon and sugar.
When the bread is done baking, sprinkle the topping over the warm bread. You can also make this in a 9- by 13-inch pan.
From: Winifred Chassareau of St. Petersburg.
Recipe: Banana Nut Bread (Cake Mix Version).
Banana Nut Bread (Cake Mix Version)
1 box yellow cake mix (or can use white cake mix)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large bananas, crushed
1 cup chopped nuts (or raisins)
Mix all ingredients, following cake mix directions. Place in two loaf pans or one 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes for the 9- by 13-inch pan or 45 to 60 minutes for the loaf pans. Test for doneness.
From: Carolyn Jennings of St. Petersburg.
Recipe: Banana Bread (Bisquick version).
Banana Bread
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 1/3 cups buttermilk baking mix (Bisquick)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Generously grease the bottom of a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, stir all ingredients until moistened; beat vigorously for 1 minute. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes, until wooden pick comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife or metal spatula around the sides of loaf to loosen; remove from pan. Makes 1 loaf.
From: Henrietta Rice of Brooksville.
Recipe: Banana Oatmeal Muffins.
Banana Oatmeal Muffins
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup margarine (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
Blend bananas, margarine, sugar and eggs; mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture, mixing with a wooden spoon.
Let sit for 5 minutes in bowl, then stir mixture and spoon into greased muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.
Recipe requests
Barbara Ragsdale of St. Petersburg always orders her favorite spinach salad at Maggiano's Little Italy in Tampa. If Barbara had the recipe to make at home, she could try another dish at the restaurant. Any chance of getting it?
About 30 years ago, Carolyn Pizzullo of Spring Hill had a Weight Watchers recipe for apple pie made with Diet 7Up and unflavored gelatin (she thinks). Carolyn hopes someone may have this recipe from the past and will share it.
Ronna Battaglia of Land O'Lakes tasted a delicious pistachio muffin at a local restaurant. She has searched for a recipe and has even tried to devise her own, with less than satisfactory results. Does anyone have this recipe in their collection?
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