Banana Bread

 

 Banana bread is glorious.  Whenever bananas get a little too ripe, we throw them in the freezer.  I love that I have a freezer full so that when I need to whip something up (like at 5 a.m. this morning as a thank you for someone), I can pull some out and create these beautiful loaves.  I don't often make regular size loaves of any sweet bread.  I typically use my mini loaf pans or my square brownie pan to make smaller versions that I can give out or freeze for my boys.  

This recipe is my favorite for just regular banana bread, I have a different one for one with chocolate chips.  I don't enjoy nuts in my sweet breads but you could add any type of nut if that's what you like.

I think the key for this recipe is super ripe bananas and actually whisking the wet ingredients together to get a good mixture of all the sweetness from the sugar and bananas.  Oh..yeah...its not the healthiest of recipes with 1.5 cups of sugar!

I typically double this recipe.
 
 Banana Bread

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large), if it's a little more or less it's fine...I tend to use a little more
• ¾ cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat loaf pans with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, bananas, and oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pans and smooth top.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center of bread comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan to release the bread. Turn out onto rack and let cool completely.

If you want to just bake one big loaf (9x5x3), spray pan and bake for 60-70 minutes.

I can get 8 mini loaves with this recipe.

Fair warning, this bread is delicious and addicting!!!

Stove Top Mac & Cheese

 

 

My kids really enjoy mac and cheese  Me...not so much.   I have tried a few different recipes but my boys were never really impressed by all the fancy cheeses I used to upgrade a childhood favorite.  Yesterday after my husband and middle son were stuck in traffic for hours because of bad weather and accidents, I wanted to have something for them that was comforting and warm.  Alton Brown has rarely let me down and he didn't yesterday.  This was surprisingly easy and delicious.  Even I ate some and that is saying a lot!  Of course, like most of my recipes, I had to double this.  It was very cheesy and delicious.

 

Stove Top Mac & Cheese

 

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded  (It's always best to shred your own cheese as it melts much better than the already shredded cheese in the bag)

n a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.