Banana Bread Weekend

It's a rainy weekend here—one of those days when I give myself permission to forgo my run and laze around for the morning in pjs. I was catching up on my food blogs when I stumbled on Smitten Kitchen's banana bread experiment. Since my blender broke a few weeks ago, I've had a bunch of bananas without a smoothie destination. PLUS I had this funky mini loaf pan I've been meaning to test out (it was given to me by a friend of a friend, who was purging her apartment of her boyfriend's exgirlfriend, one baking item at a time). It was kismet.

I love that she used bourbon in her recipe, though for the second time in a week, I was without the required alcohol in my pantry (last week it was brandy for brandied raisins in this sweet potato recipe.) So this banana bread is booze free, though I'd throw it in next time around.

Otherwise, top marks for this recipe—moist without being greasy and just right the level of spice. Next time I'd add raisins. Never chocolate chips. I've got a hate-on for chocolate in baking.

Elise’s Friend Heidi’s Friend Mrs. Hockmeyer’s Banana Bread, As Jacked Up by Deb
Adapted from Simply Recipes

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted salted butter
3/4 to 1 cup light brown sugar (I used the smaller amount)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 cup of flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

(Because I used these muffin/loaf tins, they were out in a half an hour. Adjust for your tin as you see fit).

Roasted-Vegetable Panzanella!

What a fabulous use for day-old bread. This salad was the perfect solution to all the manna that we produced during our bread-making class. A simple recipe that I would definitely make again!

Beautiful Bread

Yesterday I took a bread-making class at the Cook Shop. We ended the class by taking home some unbaked whole wheat bread dough. And I just baked mine this morning. I'm pretty proud of this petite little loaf. It's so beautiful. And that's really all I have to say about it.

Joy in the Simple Things

I know what you're thinking...I couldn't possibly make delicious home-made bread like this unless I took all day to do it and even then I would be frustrated. But you are wrong. This post contains three recipes that are unbelievably simple, and have been a big hit with guests. The three recipes are:
1. Quick Beer Bread (that's right, beer)
2. Pear Custard Bars
3. Pomegranate-Blueberry-Clubsoda Splash

1. Quick Beer Bread (featured above)

Check it out, this is how easy it is:

One 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease an 81/2 x 41/2-inch loaf pan.
Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Add:
1½ cups light or dark beer (but not stout), cold or at room temperature, but not flat
Fold just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center and all the way to the bottom of the pan comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

For some, myself included, it is somewhat of a sacrifice in the moment to pour beer anywhere except into a glass or my own mouth, but in the end it is worth it.

2. Pear Custard Bars

(from the now-famous "Simply in Season" cookbook)

The crust:

1/3 cup / 75 ml butter (softened)

1/3 cup / 75 ml sugar

Cream together with an electric mixer or vigourously by hand.

3/4 cup/ 175 ml nuts (chopped...I use almonds)

Stir in and press into an 8x8-inch / 2-L baking pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350F / 180C until lighly browned, 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

The custard:

8 ounces / 220 g cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup / 125 ml sugar (NOTE! I use about half this amount of sugar)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Mix in sugar, egg, and vanilla. Pour over crust.

The pears:

3 cups / 750 ml fresh pears (peeled and sliced)

Arrange over filling.

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

(I also like to had a tablespoon or two of whiskey or cognac...just to keep with the prudent-use-of-alcohol theme of this blog entry.)

Combine and sprinkle over pears. Bake in preheated oven at 350F / 180C for 25-30 minutes.

Now, to make them into "bars" you are supposed to cool for 45 minutes, then cover and refrigerate at least 45 minutes before cutting. Store in refrigerator.

But I like to serve it hot with ice-cream! (see photo....mmmm....)

3. Pomegranate-Blueberry-Clubsoda Splash


In case you can't figure out this liven-up-any-dinner-party gem yourself, go buy some SoNice pomegranate-blueberry juice, pour a bit in a glass, and top off generously with Club Soda. Oh yes, and the add-your-alcohol-of-choice would be vodka or gin. But honestly, I just lap it up alcohol-less, it's really that yummy.

And finally, here is a photo to prove just how satisfied your post-eating dinner guests can be (and such a good-looking bunch to boot!)

Gnocchi & Focaccia

I can't stop making gnocchi lately. I love its delicious doughy squishiness. And now that I've figured out that it's pretty easy to make, I'm hooked. This post is all about the meal I ate tonight: potato gnocchi, gorgonzola sauce, and fresh-baked focaccia.

Making the gnocchi

• 4 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Steam potatoes until tender, about 12 minutes. Mash 'em well. Once they've cooled off a bit, add the egg, cream, salt, and nutmeg to potatoes; blend well. Then add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix until soft and sightly sticky dough forms, adding more flour tablespoonfuls if dough is too moist.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each dough portion into 3/4-inch-thick rope. Cut rope into 3/4-inch-long pieces. Arrange gnocchi in a single layer on floured baking sheet.

Cook 1/3 of gnocchi in pot of boiling water at a time. Remove when gnocchi rise to surface and are cooked through and tender, about 5 minutes. Using large strainer or slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to large baking dish; arrange gnocchi in single layer.

To serve, melt butter in skillet over medium heat; add gnocchi and cook until heated through, tossing ofen, about 8 minutes.

Gorgonzola Sauce

• 2 cups cream
• 100-130 g gorgonzola
• 3 tbsp white wine
• 1 tsp cognac or brandy
  
• salt
• white pepper
• nutmeg

Simmer the cream, wine, and brandy for a while (until it thickens). Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Add cheese last and stir until melted.


I like to drizzle a balsamic reduction on the pasta. It's so yummy.

Focaccia
So far, my forays into breadmaking have ALL been disasterous. I can't help but worry than I'm cursed. Nevertheless, I keep trying to master this most basic of foods.

Tonight's focaccia could be called a success, I suppose. Especially if you contrast it with my breadmaking track record. That said, it still wasn't the most wonderfully delicious focaccia ever. I'm not going to bother posting the recipe. Instead I'm going to ask this blog's vast readership help me out in the focaccia department. Does anyone have a favourite recipe? Does anyone know the secret? If so, post a comment please!