I love banana bread, especially when it's warm, and fresh right out of the oven! It definitely has to be one of my favorites...although pumpkin and zucchini are also pretty darn close, but..., I still think I like banana the best.
I've been making this same banana bread recipe for many years...maybe close to 10 or 12 years now. So, with that said, you know it has to be pretty good. I've made it for various occasions, and in many different forms such as mini muffins (as I am sharing with you today), loafs, and also in bundt pans. However, when I first started making this recipe I wasn't gluten-free, as I am now. So, since then, I've had to make some minor adjustments to the original recipe, and yet, it is still a keeper.
I first saw this recipe made on the Food Network. They had Marion Cuningham come all the way from the Kona Inn in Hawaii to make her famous banana bread recipe. Since I love banana bread so much, I tuned in and watched. It did look fantastic, and I figured if the Food Network had Marion come all the way to New York from Hawaii to demonstrate how she makes her banana bread, it had to be good. And, it is.
This recipe is probably similar to most, but I think it's the shortening (which I substitute coconut oil for, since it's a healthier fat) that does the trick. The edges get nice and crispy while the inside stays moist. I absolutely LOVE the crispy edges.
This recipe is very easy to make, and takes little time, especially if you make the mini muffins.
I hope you make this recipe and enjoy it as much as I have over the years.
Banana Bread Mini Muffins
(adapted from a recipe on the Food Network)
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup gluten-free flour (I used Jules GF AP flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
Stir together flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl, mix together the coconut oil, sugar, mashed bananas, and eggs on a low speed until blended well. Add the combined dry ingredients and stir just until the batter is thoroughly blended.
Spoon batter into muffin tin. Batter should come up to just under the rim. Bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the muffin.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then remove muffins from tin and place them on a cooling rack until cooled completely.
Note: This recipe will also make one loaf in an 8 or 9 inch loaf pan baked at 350° for about 50-60 minutes. If you would like to make this recipe in a bundt pan, then double the recipe and cook for about 75-90 minutes also at 350°. Keep checking for doneness with a toothpick in the center.
This recipe is Gluten-Free, and Vegetarian. It can easily be made Vegan by substituting the eggs with an egg replacer.
Nothing is better on a hot summer day than a nice tall glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. Well, almost nothing. I'm guessing that a nice dip in the pool might just top the lemonade, but since I don't have a pool in my backyard, this will just have to do the trick.
I came up with this recipe one afternoon in August when all that I wanted to do was to sit back and relax while reading a book on the deck. However, it was a little hot outside, so I wanted something to drink that was icy cold, and refreshing to make the afternoon complete. So, I decided to make some lemonade. Then, I noticed that I had a lot of blueberries left in my refrigerator. So, I thought to myself, "Why don't I try and make some blueberry lemonade? I love blueberries, and I love lemonade...how could this go wrong?"
It didn't. It was everything I expected. Cold. Delicious. And, refreshing! BINGO!
It is really a simple beverage to make. You can add more or less sugar to your own liking. Plus, you can use pretty much any kind of fruit you have on hand with this method. So, create away, and enjoy!
Blueberry Lemonade
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh blueberries, washed and picked over for stems
Juice from 8 small lemons, or 4 large, drained to remove pulp and seeds
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
8 cups cold filtered water
Directions:
Take the blueberries and about 1/4 cup of your water, and puree them with a blender, or food processor. Then, after you have pureed your blueberries, drain them over a small bowl with a sieve. Try to drain as much of the blueberry juice out of the puree as possible using a spoon to press out any additional liquid.
Now, with all of your lemons cut in half, squeeze as much juice as you can out of them using a juicer (any kind you have will work). Make sure you strain your juice thoroughly to remove any seeds that may have got into your juice. You can use the sieve to strain the juice, or if you like pulp, you can just remove the visible seeds with a spoon.
Pour both the blueberry and lemon juices into a pitcher with your cold water. Add the sugar to the mixture, and stir well to incorporate. I start with a 1/4 cup at a time, tasting in between each addition until the desired sweetness is reached.
Serve in a tall glass over ice.
Garnish with a lemon wedge and a few whole blueberries.
