Zooming…

I was Zooming with my friend Sherry the other day and told her about this new Banana Bread recipe that I had just concocted and shared through a mailbox delivery (a real, snail mail type delivery box in the country – on a post near the roadside) to some local friends and her response was, “Oh! How very Covid of you!” So there you have it! A whole new vocabulary has erupted from this pandemic. Covid has become a verb, adverb and adjective besides always being a noun. Sherry said, “Oh yes, all of them.” And Banana Bread could almost be called Covid Bread because EVERYONE is making it.

It must be that everyone has bought all of those bananas for fear that they might not be there the next time they shop and they can’t possibly eat them all so what’s next? Covid Banana Bread!

And did you notice, “Zooming” is also a new verb.

Then there is my personal favorite, “Quarantini,” where you make a martini and drink it alone, at home. I wonder how many alcoholics will come out of this? I could literally have a cocktail catch-up with friends every single night, which has been using up a lot of my time, fun times albeit, but now I have curbed the commitments. Too much!

Differences in my recipe…

Back to Banana Bread. In this recipe, I upped the eggs (for extra moistness) and went light on the sugar, as I always do, added nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg, which are unusual from what I can see out there.  

I love Banana Bread toasted and then smeared with butter, particularly the end pieces, as the crust holds all the butter goodness in and none can drip out through the bread and onto your plate. Or, put on even a little cream cheese for extra pure decadence. I know, these are silly details but really worth it. For me, it brings back childhood memories as I used to fight over the end pieces with my brothers. And my mother loved putting on some butter AND cream cheese, as she’d put a finger to her lips, “Shhhhussh, don’t tell anyone…”

But really, this recipe is so good and moist, you don’t need a thing!

It freezes well and keeps in the refrigerator nicely.

Make with LOVE and create some of your own special memories.

BANANA BREAD – 1 loaf

½ cup butter, softened
1 scant cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 – 4 overly ripe bananas, finely mashed with a fork
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1½ tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¾ cup pecan halves, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F degrees.

Using the paper from the butter, butter and flour a loaf pan, making sure to get into all the corners. Use extra butter if needed.

Cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs and mashed bananas. Combine well.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add gradually to creamed mixture by large spoonfuls. Add vanilla.

Mix just until combined. Stir in the finely chopped nuts. Do not overmix.

 Pour into buttered and floured loaf pan.

 Bake at 350º F / 180º for 45 – 55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Keeps well, refrigerated. Also freezes well. Enjoy toasted and spread with LOVE, and butter or cream cheese.

Always add LOVE

Always make and serve with LOVE. Because your food will taste better, without exception! Trust me. Spread LOVE around, not Covid-19. 🙂