Vanilla Bean Banana Bread

So I always buy all these bananas and never eat them all before some get gross and mushy (I'm a green banana kind of girl).  So, instead of tossing them in the trash, I toss them in the freezer!  You'll notice that they literally turn black and rock hard.  

Then comes the day you want some crazy-good banana bread!  Once you've accumulated six frozen, over-ripe bananas, take them out and leave them on the counter until they are completely thawed, and beyond soft. If you prefer, you can pop them in the microwave for 30 second intervals until they are sufficiently soft.

 


When you get ready to make the batter and add the bananas, all you have to do is snip one end of the bananas off and all the inside banana "goop" comes slopping out - you don't even have to mash them...so much easier than cutting and mashing up fresh ripe bananas.   

In addition, the vanilla bean adds a different flare to a typical recipe, and the raw sugar on the top creates a crispy crust that's just to die for.  Hope you enjoy this banana bread as much as I do!

 

- ½ cup butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ vanilla bean, scraped (or substitute an additional ½ tsp vanilla extract)
- 6 overripe bananas, frozen, then thawed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)
- Coarse sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and bananas until well blended. In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; stir just to moisten, do not over-mix.

Fold in pecans if desired.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Sprinkle the coarse raw sugar evenly over the batter.  Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack.  Enjoy!

Let's Break Bread...

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.  Luke 22: 17-20

So, one day while I was working at the hospital, a nurse named Liz shared with me that she knows a great and super easy no-knead bread recipe.  Of course, I jumped on the opportunity and have been making this bread ever since.  John and I are members of our local church, Portico (http://www.porticocville.org/), and the thought popped into my head one day to serve by providing the bread for communion.  So Liz, thanks!  You probably don't even know how many people your recipe has impacted!

- 7 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose flour
- 1 tbs coarse kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tbs instant yeast
- 2 tsp sugar or honey
- 3 cups warm water

Thoroughly combine all dry ingredients in a large glass bowl.  Add water and mix into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until a rough dough forms - you can also use your hands, but this stuff gets sticky!  Turn dough out on to floured surface and knead a little until the dough becomes smooth and not sticky - this should only take a few minutes (I know, this recipe's not completely no-knead).  It's ok to add a little flour or more water as needed to make the dough the right consistency.  Put the dough ball back into the mixing bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in the counter until the dough has tripled in size, about 2-4 hours.

At this point, its up to you.  You can either place the bowl with the risen dough in the refrigerator to use later, or you can proceed to forming the loafs and bake the dough right after the first rise.  If you decide to place the risen dough in the fridge, it lasts for up to a week, and as it ages, it becomes more like sourdough - yum!

So, when you are ready to make some bread, you can use whatever amount of dough you want (just place the remaining amount in the fridge for later...the entire recipe makes 2 very large loafs).  Take the dough ball and form into whatever shape you desire.  I have made just large loafs, or I recently braided some loafs - turned out very pretty!  Place the dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and let rise again covered with more plastic wrap or a towel, for about 1 to 2 hours.  Preheat the oven to 450.  Right before baking, slash the top of the loaf if you want to.  Bake for around 30 minutes, but this will depend on the side of the loaf you are baking.  When the dough is finished baking, it will sound hollow when tapped, and the loaf will have a beautiful darkened brown color. 


I really hope you enjoy this recipe and can bless those around you with some wonderfully smelling, homemade bread.  God bless.