Banana Bread & New Recipes to Bake: Fabulous Finds (Week #25)

I have always enjoyed new recipes; I love to cook and I especially love to bake. Like many people, however, after enjoying the delicious temptations throughout the holiday season I have been trying to return to better eating habits this month. 

After Christmas, I put myself on a bit of a baking ban. This was a measure needed to reset my sweet tooth and resume eating a healthier diet. To my delight, however, this weekend presented an opportunity to to try a banana bread recipe I have had my eye on for a while. 

Yesterday afternoon I realized I needed a hostess gift for some friends. Some really ripe bananas were sitting on my counter and the temptation was just too strong. In a flash, I had the ingredients for my new banana bread recipe lined up on the counter. 

The recipe was created by Epicurious, by combining what they liked best about a number of their favorite recipes. I especially like their suggestion to pre-toast the nuts. Here are some of their tips, helpful no matter what banana recipe is used:

• How we achieved the banana bread of our dreams by Rhoda Boon

I have a recipe for banana bread that I have been making off and on for 25 years. It is really tasty, but I'm always on the lookout for a better one.  My one complaint about my own recipe is that sometimes it is
difficult to get the center of the bread baked without drying out the middle. I usually get around this by baking four small loaves instead of one large one.

The banana bread I made yesterday turned out really well. It had a nice flat top, was baked evenly all the way through, and the texture was dense and moist. My husband likes the flavor of my other recipe better. I agree that this one is a little more bland but the banana flavor is quite distinct and I really like it. Next time I'll try adding a 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, and then it really might be the perfect recipe for which I have been searching!  Here's the link:

• Our Favorite Banana Bread from Epicurious, March 2015

I doubled the recipe yesterday. Yes - I did have that many ripe bananas! I shared one loaf with our friends, and sliced and gave away part of the other loaf. After my son and husband had their share, all that was left for me was just one piece. That was just perfect!

Here are links to a few other recipes that I would like to try. I wonder who I can share my baking results with next? 

• Buckeye Brownie Cookies

• Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars

• Strawberry Marshmallow Cake

• Lemon Bars with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

• Whole Grain Banana Bread Cookies

I've already decide that the next time I have over-ripe bananas, I'll be making the last recipe on this list. I might not even need to give any away. Whole grain banana bread cookies sound pretty healthy, right?!

The top of our hill is farther away than it looks in the framed photo - my children were standing at quite a safe distance from the elk!

Do you have a favorite banana bread recipe? I'd love to have it!

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!