Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Bread

Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Bread

Katie's notes: I used 3/4 cup of organic whole wheat pastry flour and 3/4 cup of white flour. I didn't have ground flax seed, but I just used the whole flax seeds that I had. They are small enough, like the size of a sesame seed, so it's just extra crunch. I didn't add the chocolate drizzle, but this turned out great!

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
• 1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate minichips, divided
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted and divided
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Add sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended.

4. Fold 1/3 cup minichips and nuts into batter; pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Combine remaining 1/3 cup minichips and milk in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over bread.

Engagement Party Updates

Just in case you were wondering...and I'm sure you were...I ended up nixing cupcakes all together. I made a double batch of the Peanut Butter Cream Topped Brownies. (GREAT!!), the Pumpkin Poundcake (made with fresh from dad's garden, organic pumpkin puree) and a double batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I also made this recipe for breakfast on Saturday. If you like green chile, this is a great one!

Green Chile and Corn Muffins (Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor)

1 package (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)
1 can (8.25 oz) cream style corn
1 can (4.5 oz.) chopped green chile (I doubled this because I have fresh green chile that was just roasted)
1 large egg
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (You can really use anything...Pepper Jack, etc...)
1 fresh jalepeno, seeded and chopped (I omitted this because I had doubled the green chile)

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 F. Mist the bottom of a 12 muffin cup pan. Set pan aside.

Place the muffin mix in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Place the corn, chiles, egg, cheese and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine and break up the egg yolk. Pour the corn mixture into the well of the muffin mix. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together with a wooden spoon until just combined (20 strokes). Batter will be lumpy. Spoon or scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, filling it 3/4 of the way full. Place pans in the oven.

Bake muffins until they are lightly golden and just spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 17-20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the muffins, lift them up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.

Homemade Cinnamon Bread

Usually I'm too impatient to make yeast breads and end up with a lead loaf because I haven't given it enough time to rise.
Fortunately this weekend, I'm in self induced hibernation to finish a lit review that is due on Wednesday.
I have all the time in the world...I'll post the final product. But, here is the recipe. Thanks Pioneer Woman!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Milk
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 2-½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 2 whole Eggs
• ⅓ cups Sugar
• 3-½ cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ⅓ cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
• Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Preparation Instructions

Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Combine flour and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.

Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.

Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.

Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.

Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.

Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.

Yummy!