Banana Bread
I had some of the best banana bread over the summer.
Seriously.
A friend made this amazing banana bread for our "family dinner"/Big Brother viewing.
SO GOOD.
How good? My cousin, Em, and I scarfed down a mini-loaf of this banana bread... in under 2
minutes.
Wait. I mean we ate all but one slice.
One slice, which we later divvied into thirds...
We didn't even think to share with the parents. Oops!
I have another confession to make.
I watch Big Brother. I've watched for years. Yikes!
It all began with these "family dinners". They've evolved from playing tennis, to going to Friendly's and eating the giant 15 scoop ice cream monster, to watching Big Brother, to making random foods chosen haphazardly from the aisles of Wegmans, back to watching more Big Brother and trashy reality TV.
I'm pretty sure that my love for horrible reality TV was positively reinforced by these family dinners. We're all in different places, and usually, at least someone is out of the country. But we still manage to gather together when we're in the same zipcode again.
It's crazy to think it all began on the tennis court.
Back to the bread! I never got a chance to ask for the recipe, so I searched for something that resembled what I remembered.
Banana bread is one of those comfort foods that can totally make my day.
I distinctly remember, however, a time when Em and I made this horrible banana bread that was rock solid. Let's just say our parents didn't even pretend to like it.
This one is much better! And as always, it is from the good ol' trusty Cook's Illustrated.
Make sure to use really ripe bananas. Ones so ripe that you think they're goners.
Recipe (adapted from Cook's Illustrated) Makes One 9 in loaf
2 cup flour
10 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat to 350 degrees.
Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan or grease and flour bottom/sides of a nonstick loaf pan.
Combine first five ingredients and chocolate in a large bowl and set aside.
Mixed mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla together in medium bowl.
Fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just combined.
Batter should be thick and chunky.
Scrape into prepared loaf pan.
Bake about 50-55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5 min and transfer to wire rack .
On a very sad note, Steve Jobs passed away. He was a visionary and a legend. He has changed how we live. In third grade, we learned to type on old school Macs. I remember getting my first blue iPod mini. My bus ride was never the same after that. Without her iPad, my mom would not be able to show me her garden by video chat. While I still fail at technology and barely know how to use Macs, Apple has turned the world upside down.
Thank you Steve Jobs.
And because I like ending things on a happy note...
"Melissa McCarthy is Having Her Moment"
After rewatching Bridesmaids this past weekend, I am more in love with her crazy sense of humor. She was just on SNL this past weekend. You can watch it here.
My favorite? The Arlene skit. So hilariously inappropriate. SNL could use some of Melissa McCarthy's gusto on a regular basis.
The Hollywood Reporter interviewed her shortly after her Emmy win. Read it here!
Seriously.
SO GOOD.
How good? My cousin, Em, and I scarfed down a mini-loaf of this banana bread... in under 2
minutes.
Wait. I mean we ate all but one slice.
One slice, which we later divvied into thirds...
We didn't even think to share with the parents. Oops!
I have another confession to make.
I watch Big Brother. I've watched for years. Yikes!
I'm pretty sure that my love for horrible reality TV was positively reinforced by these family dinners. We're all in different places, and usually, at least someone is out of the country. But we still manage to gather together when we're in the same zipcode again.
It's crazy to think it all began on the tennis court.
Back to the bread! I never got a chance to ask for the recipe, so I searched for something that resembled what I remembered.
Banana bread is one of those comfort foods that can totally make my day.
I distinctly remember, however, a time when Em and I made this horrible banana bread that was rock solid. Let's just say our parents didn't even pretend to like it.
This one is much better! And as always, it is from the good ol' trusty Cook's Illustrated.
Make sure to use really ripe bananas. Ones so ripe that you think they're goners.
Recipe (adapted from Cook's Illustrated) Makes One 9 in loaf
2 cup flour
10 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat to 350 degrees.
Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan or grease and flour bottom/sides of a nonstick loaf pan.
Combine first five ingredients and chocolate in a large bowl and set aside.
Mixed mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla together in medium bowl.
Fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just combined.
Batter should be thick and chunky.
Scrape into prepared loaf pan.
Bake about 50-55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5 min and transfer to wire rack .
On a very sad note, Steve Jobs passed away. He was a visionary and a legend. He has changed how we live. In third grade, we learned to type on old school Macs. I remember getting my first blue iPod mini. My bus ride was never the same after that. Without her iPad, my mom would not be able to show me her garden by video chat. While I still fail at technology and barely know how to use Macs, Apple has turned the world upside down.
Thank you Steve Jobs.
And because I like ending things on a happy note...
"Melissa McCarthy is Having Her Moment"
After rewatching Bridesmaids this past weekend, I am more in love with her crazy sense of humor. She was just on SNL this past weekend. You can watch it here.
My favorite? The Arlene skit. So hilariously inappropriate. SNL could use some of Melissa McCarthy's gusto on a regular basis.
The Hollywood Reporter interviewed her shortly after her Emmy win. Read it here!
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