Peanut Butter Banana Bread

A week or so ago, I saw a pin floating around on Pinterest that said something along the lines of "Thank you, Pinterest, for making me feel creative when I've actually been sitting at the computer for three hours." Let the record show that this recipe is adapted from one I found on Pinterest!

I am so not a slacker!

This came from this recipe at myrecipes.com, but I had to do some significant adjusting because I just didn't have all the ingredients. What you see below is my version I rarely do that when I'm baking, but I have to say the experiment worked pretty well. It's a tad dry, but that probably has as much to do with the fact that I'm still trying to get used to a new oven and all its quirks. Hey, if nothing else, I used up the bananas that were going to go bad, and I feel confident that the entire loaf will be eaten!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

3-4 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 c no sugar added applesauce
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat together banana, applesauce, peanut butter, butter, and eggs, using a mixer on low speed. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice until just blended. Spray a 9x5 bread pan with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (dark pans may require less cooking time). Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Serves 12.

Bubble Bread

I can't tell you how often as a child I woke up on Sunday mornings to the smell of Bubble Bread in the oven. Because it is mixed the night before, it was frequently Mom's choice for a speedy breakfast on church days. It had been years since I last enjoyed it, but I suggested to Mom that we make it the day after Thanksgiving. It's completely unfriendly toward dieters, but oh-so-good anyway! Just a note - you need to eat this as soon as it comes out of the oven because the gooey topping hardens very quickly.

Bubble Bread

1 pkg frozen dinner rolls (we use Parkerhouse brand)
1 stick butter or margine, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. chopped nuts, optional
1 pkg cook & serve butterscotch pudding (not instant)

Grease an angel food or bundt pan very well. In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients until well blended. Place frozen rolls in pan and pour butter mixture over the rolls. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Invert onto a plate and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Coconut Banana Bread

We operate on a tight budget, and I try not to waste anything. I often find myself hunting for banana recipes, because we never seem to make it through a batch of bananas before the last two or three are too brown to eat. This recipe came from Quick Cooking, and I adapted it just a bit to suit my preferences. Boy, is it good!!! Watch the cooking time, though - mine only needed 45 minutes.

Coconut Banana Bread

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine eggs, bananas, butter, coconut, and extract. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in walnuts.

Transfer to loaf pan and bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.