BANANA CREAM CHEESE BREAD..

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients For the Bread:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 & 1/2 cups mashed bananas {about 4 medium bananas}
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two 8"x 4" loaf pans
1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add sugar, mixing until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended.
3. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla extract.
4. Divide batter evenly and spoon into prepared loaf pans.
5. To make the topping, combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over batter in both loaf pans.

6. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack, 10 minutes. Serve warm.

STRAWBERRY NUT BREAD..

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Makes: 2 loaves

2 cups margarine
3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
3 eggs
6 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cream of tarter
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups strawberry preserves
1 cup sour cream
2 cups broken nuts

Cream margarine, sugar, vanilla and lemon thoroughly: add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift dry ingredients together.
Combine preserves and sour cream, add to creamed mixture alternately with flour mixture. Stir in nuts.
Place in greased and floured loaf pan or aluminum juice cans.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until bread test done.

Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Wrap in foil or gift paper; may be frozen.
Makes 2 loafs.

Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread

Quick! Let's Bake Some Bread.

The idea came together in a flash. Someone mentioned quick breads, and everybody jumped on the bandwagon!
That's the beauty of quick breads. Mix, bake, take, share.
They are sweet or savory, studded with fruits or nuts, and full of flavor and endless possibilities. Our gathering featured four sweet and two savory loaves.
Quick breads are in the same family as muffins and scones and rely on baking powder and baking soda for rising. The chemicals in the soda or powder react with acids to produce carbon dioxide, the gas that gives baked goods their lift. Baking powder and soda are not interchangeable, though, because baking powder is baking soda mixed with cornstarch and a dry acid.
If you find yourself without baking powder, "The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook" offers this recipe for a "passable substitution": Replace each teaspoon of baking powder with 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
For best results with these recipes, use baking powder and baking soda before their "best by" dates. If baking powder is nearing expiration, check to see if it is still active by mixing 2 teaspoons of it in a cup of hot water. If the foaming reaction is weak, toss it.
Here are some more tips for perfect loaves.
Preheat the oven.
Prepare the nuts and fruits ahead of time.
Don't overmix the batter: Too much mixing can result in loaves not properly rising, turning out tough and possibly with tunnels through them.
Tent the loaves with aluminum foil once they begin to brown to prevent over browning.
Loaves that are too compact are a result of too much flour or too much leavening.
Use a knife-a toothpick is too short-to check for doneness by sticking the blade in the center of the loaf. If the knife blade comes out clean, or with a few crumbs attached, it's done.
Shiny pans reflect heat, but dark pans absorb heat so baked goods brown more quickly. If using dark pans, lower the heat by 25 degrees.

Store loaves for 24 hours before slicing. Or freeze and slice with a serrated-edge knife.

Quick Breads: IOZZA'S Corn and Bacon Loaf

Makes 1 loaf

12 ounces hardwood-smoked bacon, coarsely chopped

1 ear corn, husked

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/4 cups whole milk

3 large eggs

2 cups grated sharp white cheddar, divided use

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh chives

Salted butter, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook the bacon in a large heavy saute pan over medium heat for 8 minutes, or until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels  Brush loaf pan with bacon drippings from the pan. Set aside 1/2 cup of bacon drippings to cool. Slice the corn kernels off the cob. You should have 1 cup.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper in a large bowl to blend. Whisk the milk, the eggs and reserved bacon drippings in another large bowl. To this stir in the bacon, 1 1/2 cups cheese, corn and chives. Stir in the milk mixture into the flour mixture just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle tops with remaining cheese. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve with butter.

If baking these as muffins, bake for 18 minutes.

Quick Breads: White Chocolate Cranberry Bread

Services 10

6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup sugar

8 tablespoons {1 stick} salted butter, at room temperature

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk

Grated zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries, not thawed

1 cup toasted, skinned, coarsely chopped hazelnuts

1 cup white chocolate chips

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9x9x3-inch loaf pan and tap excess flour.

Melt and cool the chopped white chocolate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer set on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Beat in the buttermilk, followed by the tepid white chocolate, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. The mixture will look curdled. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture, and beat just until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in cranberries, hazelnuts and white chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting and unmolding bread.

Quick Breads: Earl Grey Tea Loaf

Serves 12
6 Earl Grey tea bags
14 ounces dried fruit, such as raisins, golden raisins, cherries, cranberries
1 orange
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided use
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon quality pumpkin pie spice
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
1 lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put 4 tea bags in a measuring cup and add 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Leave to brew for a few minutes, then remove tea bags. Put the dried fruit into a large mixing bowl, grate over the zest of the orange and pour over the hot tea. Cover and leave overnight.
Whisk the egg and add to the bowl of fruit along with 1 cup sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and a few good gratings of nutmeg, and squeeze in the juice of the orange. Mix until a dough-like consistency {it might seem dry}. Spoon the mixture into a 4-cup loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cooked through, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Put the 2 remaining tea bags into a pan with 3/4 cup water and the zest and juice of the lemon. Gently bring to a boil, removing the tea bags after a few minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and bring to a boil without stirring-keep it on a steady medium heat so that you have a steady boil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced by half and you have a golden syrup. Pour this into a measuring cup.

As soon as the loaf comes out of the oven, poke little holes in the top and pour the syrup over the loaf. Once the syrup has absorbed, turn loaf onto wire rack and cool

Quick Breads: Praline Apple Bread

Makes 1 loaf
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 {8-ounce} container sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples {3/4 pond}
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for 6 to 8 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.
Beat sour cream and the next three ingredients on low speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until blended. Stir together the flour and next three ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.
Lightly press pecans into batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan to wire rack.

Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly: boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread.

Quick Breads: Polenta Loaf With Rosemary, Parmesan And Olive Oil

Makes 1 loaf
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup {5-ounces} polenta
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated course {1 cup}, divided use
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
Heat oven to 400 degrees
Whisk flour, polenta, rosemary, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, breaking up any clumps, until coated with flour.

In a separate bowl, whisk sour cream, milk, sugar, oil and eggs together until smooth. Gently fold sour cream mixture into flour mixture until just combined; do not over mix.
Pour into greased loaf pan or greased muffin tins. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
Bake until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes for muffins, 40 to 50 minutes for loaf pan. Cool before inverting.
NOTE:
Cornmeal can be used in place of the polenta. It will result in a more cake-like texture.

Quick Breads: Golden Pumpkin Loaf

Makes 1 large loaf
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or mace 
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan, and line bottom and long sides with parchment paper.
Mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, and both sugars on medium-high speed until creamy and thick, for about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed, then add the pumpkin, vanilla and oil and continue mixing until smooth.
On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing only until the flour just disappears. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Scrape the bowl from the bottom and fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Transfer to prepared pans.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until loaf is well browned and a knife inserted emerges clean from the center. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning out.

Holiday Nut Bread..

Preheat oven to 375 F.
1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached and sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup sliced almonds, chopped
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
1/8 cup raw sunflower seeds, shelled
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 medium egg, beaten
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons walnut oil
Cooking spray

     Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray two small loaf pans with cooking spray. Mix the flours, baking soda, salt, nuts, dry milk, raisins and grated orange peel in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk and walnut oil. Combine with the flour mixture. Transfer the batter into loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes.

Harvest Loaf Bread..

Preheat oven to 350 F.
1 3/4 cups flour {sifted or instant blending}
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts, finally chopped

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices; set aside. Cream butter and add sugar; cream together well in a large bowl. Blend eggs into the butter mixture. Add dry ingredients to the cream mixture, alternating with the pumpkin. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Turn into the prepared pan. Top with chopped walnuts. Bake 65 to 70 minutes. Cool.
• Drizzle with a glaze made with 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons milk. Add milk to the powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.      

Cranberry-Banana Bread..

Heat oven to 350 F.
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 cup water
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup cranberry juice from cooked berries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
    In saucepan bring 2 cups of sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Add berries and simmer for 10 minutes, until berries pop open. Drain berries, reserving juice. Measure 1 cup berries for bread.
    Sift flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. Combine 2/3 cup sugar, butter, eggs, walnuts, bananas and 1 cup of berries. Add the flour mixture to berry mixture. Stir until blended. Pour into prepared 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

• Topping:

Combine cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons sugar and the Grand Marnier in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until warm. Poke a few holes in baked loaf  and pour topping over loaf. Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Wrap in foil and store one day before slicing.