Monday, June 30, 2008

The Best Banana Bread Ever!

This is my attempt to make a recipe post. Hayden and I like to make things together. So I thought, why not and I could kill to birds with one stone, by making banana bread and I'll take some picture for a post.
I have seen others do it and I really like those posts. How hard can it be? Lets just say that this turned out to be a comedy of errors. My biggest and first mistake was the time that I choose to do this was almost 5pm (not a good time in our house). So with babies screaming and Hayden being extra silly, this is our attempt.
A couple words about the banana bread recipe itself. This recipe is from a cookbook that my Grandma W. gave me the summer before I got married. I am named after this Grandma, I was born a day after her birthday and she is no longer with us. She died very unexpectedly this past November. Anyway, Grandma W is from a small town in Iowa and this cookbook was put together by all the women in her church. It is awesome and the cookbook I use the most. Now, I am under the impression that the women of Iowa (or whole mid-west area) are awesome cooks and my Grandma was no different. Every time that we went to see her, I would gain at least 10lbs. This recipe reminds me of her and when I read the message that she left me in the front of the book, I feel a little closer to her.

Now on to the baking.

Take over ripe bananas, I like to use 3 or 4. (I wanted Hayden to hold the banana nicely but instead I got him with a bug on his head and a goofy look.)

Mash bananas and mix together with wet ingredients. Hayden likes to turn the mixer on to the different speeds.
This banana bread is so moist because of the secret ingredient: pudding. (Again with the silly face, I don't know what is with him.)
Next pour in pudding and rest of the dry ingredients and mix together.

Then Hayden's favorite part, licking the mixer paddle.

Grease bread pans. (Again with Hayden. I asked him to move but he said, "No Mom. I want to be in the picture and this (above) is how I am going to look.)
Hayden and I like to add another secret ingredient; chocolate chips. About a cup will do or in this case the whole bag. Hayden dumped it all in while I was dealing with one of the screaming babies.
Bake bread at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (See, I kid you not about the time. What in heavens name was I thinking.)
Here is it, all warm and yummy out of the oven. Now you want to make sure the pans are more even. I was not paying attention to the amounts in the pan. I was again distracted. My chocolate chip bread, well looks good in the photo, flopped. The middle was not cooked. Oh well, it still tasted good.

So here is the real recipe in case you missed something from the pictures.
5 eggs
1 1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 to 4 mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
2 sm boxes instant vanilla pudding
1 tbsp cinnamon.
Mix in order given. Bake at 350 degrees for 45min to 1 hour. There is enough batter for 2 to 3 loaf pans depending on size. Freezes well and very moist.

5 comments:

Rhea said...

That looks so yummy, I could almost smell it! We love banana bread around here, but we skip putting in nuts (like most recipes call for).

I love seeing kids cook, great pictures!

BBB said...

Looks NUMMY!!!!!!!! I love bananananannaann bread.

Diana said...

I am totally going to try that one!! Especially with the chocolate chips!!! OK, so make me feel better about myself...I couldn't help but notice how nicely put together your house looks in the background, no mail on the table, piles of stuff in the corners of the room or for that matter, middle of the room, nothing stacked up on the buffet table even when it's had the whole day to accumulate and @ the bewitching hour of 5pm! I only have one and I can't make that happen to save my life! :-) What is the secret ingredient to that success?!?!?

Jen said...

Diana,
It is what you don't see in the pictures. Don't worry, if I had turned the camera 90 degrees you would see those piles but that is another post.

KatBouska said...

MMmmmm, I LOVE banana bread. You're making me hungry and I totally have to try it with the pudding...very clever...