“All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” ~ Helen Keller
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
It has been an interesting 3 weeks, each with a slightly different personality… first week, dangerously low temps… 2nd week, ice… 3rd week (this one), snow. MSP airport has topped 20 inches so far in February, not that far from the all-time February record of 26.5 inches set in 1962. It was time for the inaugural concert of Bella Lumina last weekend… unfortunately my icy fall kept me from it but I am now doing much better… too bad it wasn’t this weekend instead of last!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
When I saw three ripe bananas in our fruit bowl I knew it was time for some banana bread! This recipe from Epicurious.com was wonderfully moist (it contains applesauce), and our grandson said it was really good as he devoured every slice I cut!
BANANA WALNUT CRAISIN BREAD
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 9 teaspoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 very ripe medium bananas
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup Craisins
- 1 cup walnuts (3 oz), chopped
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray/grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Mix together milk and lemon juice and let stand until milk curdles, about 1 minute. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking soda in a bowl.
Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until combined, then beat in bananas, applesauce and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture to banana mixture alternately with milk, mixing at low speed just until batter is smooth. Stir in Craisins and walnuts.
Pour into loaf pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer insert in center of bread comes out clean, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours. Cool bread in pan for 3 minutes, then remove from pan and continue cooling on a rack to cool completely.
