Bananas

Bananas grow on giant plants, which some call banana trees. But-they aren’t trees at all they don’t even have a trunk. After planting, the plant grows to the height of a man in 3 months. In another 3 months, it is twice the size of a man. Once the plant has reached its full height, it devotes its energy to making its one and only bunch of bananas. That’s right, banana trees only produce one bunch of bananas in their short life span. However, one bunch can contain anywhere from 90-400 bananas. After the bananas ripen, the banana plant is cut down and another grows in its place. The total life span of the banana tree is about 15 months.
During the ripening process, the starch in the banana is converted to sugar. The riper (more yellow) the banana is the sweeter it will taste. When making banana breads, muffins, or cakes, you want to have the bananas as ripe as possible to get full sweetness. Many cooks use bananas that have ripened so much that they are black. These are really sweet, but also really mushy-great for baked goods.

Beer Cake

2/3 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 well-beaten eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. cloves
1 t. cinnamon
2 t. nutmeg
2 3/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 1/2 c. mashed bananas
1 1/2 c. chopped dates
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 can beer - 12 oz.
1 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream shortening and sugar. Add all dry ingredients along with eggs. Mix well. Add bananas, dates and nuts. Add beer, mix well. Add vanilla. Bake in large tube pan at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Banana Sour Cream Waffles

1 c. Flour
1/2 T. Sugar
1 t. Baking powder
1/4 t. Soda
1/4 t. Salt
1 Egg - separated
1 c. Sour cream
1/4 c. Milk
1/4 c. Butter - melted
1 Banana - mashed
Sift together dry ingredients. Set aside. Mix together beaten egg yolk, sour cream, milk, butter and banana. Add to flour mixture, mixing well. Fold in whipped egg white, and pour into oiled waffle iron or oiled pan. Cook each side until brown.

Banana Bread French Toast

Yield: 6 Servings
Banana Bread:
2 c. All-Purpose Flour - sifted
1 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 c. Unsalted Butter - at room temperature
1 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 c. Ripe Bananas - mashed
1 t. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/3 c. Milk
1/2 c. Pecans - chopped
French Toast
4 large Eggs
1/4 c. Whipping Cream
2 T. Brown Sugar
1 t. Vanilla Extract
1/4 t. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 t. Ground Cinnamon
3 T. Butter
Maple Syrup
Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously butter a 9 x 5 x 3” loaf pan. Sift first 3 ingredients into a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream butter in a large bowl until light. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add mashed bananas and lemon juice and beat until well blended. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix in pecans. Pour Batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.
Turn out onto rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly and refrigerate.) Cut bread into 3/4” thick slices.
Preheat oven to low. Whisk eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, and spices in a large bowl until blended. Melt 1 T butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Place some bread in the batter and turn to coat thoroughly. Add bread to skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer French Toast to a cookie sheet, place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining bread slices and batter in batches, adding more butter to skillet as necessary. Serve French Toast with maple syrup.

Gift of the Magi Bread

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 Pinch salt
1 c. mashed ripe bananas
1 can mandarin oranges (11 oz.) - drained
1 package mini chocolate chips - 6 oz.
1 c. shredded coconut
2/3 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 c. chopped dates
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with bananas. Stir in orange segments, chocolate chips, coconut, almonds, cherries and dates. Pour into two 7x9-inch loaf pans, which have been sprayed with oil or greased with shortening. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. Makes 2 loaves.

Banana Rhubarb Pie

Pastry for 2-crust pie
3 c. sliced fresh rhubarb - about 1 pound
3 medium ripe bananas - peeled and sliced
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
3 T. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1 T. butter - cut in small pieces
Prepare pastry for pie crust.
Roll out half of the pastry to a 12-inch circle and line a 9-inch pie plate. In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, bananas, sugar, orange juice, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon mixture into the pastry-lined pie plate and dot with butter. Roll remaining pastry into an 11-inch circle for top crust. Place over the fruit filling, seal, and flute all around. Bake pie at 450 F. for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F. and bake 30 minutes longer, or until pie is nicely browned. Print this post