banana

Food

Banana pancakes

 INGREDIENTS
 1 cup all-purpose flour
 1 tablespoon white sugar
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1 egg, beaten
 1 cup milk
 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
 2 ripe bananas, mashed

DIRECTIONS
Combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and bananas.
Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

Banana Bread

 2-3 over-ripe bananas
 2 eggs, well beaten
 2 cups all-purpose flour
 1/2 cup granulated sugar
 1/4 cup light brown sugar
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 cup chopped pecans and walnuts 
 1/4 cup (or a little less) flaked dark chocolate
 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 1 teaspoon orange juice
 freshly-grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a standard 9 x 5 loaf pan (I prefer Pyrex).

Whisk two eggs. In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas up until their little banana mommies wouldn’t recognise them,* then mix in the beaten eggs. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and soda in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix into banana mixture until well blended. Stir in nuts, chocolate, vanilla, orange juice and zest.

Pour batter into a 9x5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350° for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 1 loaf of banana nut bread.

Banana Bread Muffins

 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
 1/3 cup melted butter
 3/4 cup sugar
 1 egg, beaten
 1 teaspoon vanilla
 1 Tbsp espresso or strong coffee (optional)
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 Pinch of salt
 1 1/2 cup of flour
 1 cup chopped walnuts (toasted or raw)

No need for a mixer with this recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
   
2. Mix in the sugar, egg, espresso and vanilla.
   
3. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.
   
4. Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
   
5. Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Cool on a rack.
   

Makes 12 muffins.