Spiked Banana Bread

I rarely bake these days because all I can think of are calories. My friend Deli, who loves to bake, is much more generous than I; she bakes for the love of baking and gives the goods away. So, when two sets of uneaten bananas turned brown–well, one was brown and one was black–I decided it was time to make banana bread. Anthony was thrilled.

Years ago I made a recipe that was oh, so good for you: wheat flour, wheat germ–lots of fiber. Then one day, a new Cooking Light magazine came in the mail with a picture of Jamaican Banana Bread on the cover, and the cover girl and I have been fast friends ever since. This is the only banana bread I will ever make–and I feel confident saying "ever ". I think that once you try it, you'll make this your go-to banana bread recipe.

Jamaican Banana Bread

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 Tablespoons soft cream cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 cups plain, unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (~ 3)

1/2 cup milk

2 Tablespoons dark rum

1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Topping:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons butter

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons dark rum

2 Tablespoons chopped pecans

2 Tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. To prepare bread, beat 2 Tablespoons butter and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer; add granulated sugar, beating well. Add egg; beat well.

3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine banana and the next 5 ingredients. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in 1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup coconut.

4. Pour batter into an 8x4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour. Cool in pan 10 minutes and remove from pan. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

5. To prepare topping, combine brown sugar and 2 teaspoons each butter, lime juice and rum in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 Tablespoons each pecans and coconut; spoon over loaf.

Bon appetit!

Our Daily Bread

As a little girl, I can remember going to my Grandma Flo's house for a week or two in the summer and eating home made bread morning, noon, and night--with real butter. If you need to put on weight, it's an excellent way to do it; unfortunately, I did not need to gain weight.

Ever since then, I've always wanted to make my own bread. I've done it a few times with success, but after moving into an old and drafty house, the temperature is never quite right for letting dough rise. I gave up. Until I read about and purchased Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. Last night, finding the dough bursting out of every seam and opening in the container, I was forced to make bread before going to bed, but it was soooo easy. The beauty of the basic technique in this book is that you mix your ingredients in a container that isn't completely airtight and that is big enough to allow for expansion of the dough--and you throw it in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. Your dough keeps for 14 days, allowing you to make up to four one-pound loaves during that time.

When you decide you're ready to bake, simply grab a one pound hunk from your container, shape it, and let it rest on the counter while your oven preheats. When the oven is ready, add a broiler pan of hot water on the bottom rack for steam, and bake for 35 minutes. How easy is that! The bread comes out brown and crisp on the outside while being soft and chewy on the inside. Delish!

Purists will be disappointed that there is no kneading. And, I admit, I miss that a little bit myself. However, it is so quick and easy to do, I can accept the trade-off in order to have fresh bread at the drop of a hat. I can always make a traditional loaf if I have the time and inclination.

Anthony likes the sandwich thins you can buy at the store, so my attempt at doing sandwich thins at home is to make four small, flat "buns" when I make one boule of bread. Caution: You the small, flat buns take less time to cook, so you have to watch them or might might end of with hard discs for skeet shooting. I have four available for anyone who's planning on skeet shooting in the near future.

Again, you can control your ingredients so that you know exactly what you're eating. The book contains basic bread recipes for white and whole grain breads as well as recipes to vary the basics.