How to Bake Quick Bread - Apricot-Orange Nut

We love moist, fruity quick breads--and this is one of our favorites. It's nutty, flavorful, and full of wholesome ingredients. We would like to share this recipe with you and demonstrate the baking principles for wonderful quick breads.

The definition of quick breads is imprecise. Often cookbooks classify muffins, coffeecakes, and biscuits as quick breads--not just those moist loaf breads made without yeast--breads like banana nut bread and date nut bread. And there is a thin line between quick breads and cakes. Quick breads contain less sugar and fat than cakes. They usually, but not always, contain fruits or nuts to add flavor and moisture and make up for the low percentage of fat and sugar. When we refer to quick breads, we're talking about loaf-shaped breads without yeast.

There are two major makeup methods for quick breads--the muffin method and the creaming method. In the creaming method, we cream the fat (butter or shortening) with the sugar until light and then add the other ingredients. In the muffin method, we mix the liquids and the dry ingredients separately and then stir them together until just combined. Today, we will look at the muffin method.

In preparation, grease an 81/2-by 41/2-inch loaf pan. Dust the pan lightly with flour by placing a spoonful in the greased pan and jostling it about by tapping the pan against the heel of your hand. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack placed in the center of the oven. Your pan should have an even coating as shown.

Here are the ingredients that we will use in our liquid mix:

3/4 cups very hot water

3 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup (5 ounces) diced dried apricots

1 tablespoon orange zest

3/4 cup orange juice

1 large egg

1. Heat the water until very hot, nearly boiling. You can do so in the microwave. Pour the water into a large bowl. The bowl should be large enough to mix the batter in.

2. Add the butter.

3. Dice the apricots into 1/4-inch pieces and add them to the hot water.

4. Grate the outer skin from an orange until you have a tablespoon full. You only want to get the orange peel without scraping deep enough to get the pithy white second layer, which is bitter. Add this zest to the hot water mixture.

5. Squeeze the juice from two oranges. Add 3/4-cup of the juice to the liquid mixture.

6. Stir in one large egg. Use a fork to mix the egg well.

In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1/2 tablespoon baking soda

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup walnuts

Make sure that they are thoroughly mixed. We like to use a large whisk.

7. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir with a large spatula until just combined. If it is mixed too much, the action will develop the gluten in the flour and the bread will not be as tender as it should be. (We don't like to make muffins and quick breads with our electric mixer.)

8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the oven. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bread tests done. When it is done, a skewer or large toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean.

9. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for five minutes. Invert the pan and remove the loaf to finish cooling on the wire rack. If the bread does not come free easily, the top edges of the loaf are probably bound to the pan. Try lifting the edges away from the pan with a sharp knife.

Store the bread in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to a week. This bread, like most quick breads, is much better served the next day. The bread can also be frozen.

Peach Variation. This bread is just as good with dried peaches instead of apricots.

Dennis Weaver is the author of "How to Bake", a free 250-page e-book. Which is free at The Prepared Pantry. The Prepared Pantry sells bread mixes and other baking mixes and offers a free Bread Center with recipes and techniques.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_R_Weaver

How to Make Nana's Old Fashion Banana Nut Bread

If you want to relive those days of enjoying Banana Nut Bread at Nana's house, this recipe is for you. It is easy to make and taste like Nana's.

NANA'S OLD FASHION BANANA NUT BREAD

5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups very ripe mashed bananas
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch loaf pan; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar beating well. Add egg, egg whites, and vanilla beating until well blended. Add the banana and beat on high speed for about 30 seconds.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the cream, ending with the flour mixture. Stir walnuts into the batter.Pour bread batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and finish cooling on the wire rack. Slice and serve.

NOTE: Cooled bread can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and served the next day. This is also a way to give a good food gift. Wrap in plastic wrap and add a pretty bow that fits the occasion.

Enjoy!

For more "sweet" recipes visit http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com For diabetic breads, other recipes and information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson

Banana bread quick recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup mashed banana (about 2 very ripe bananas)
• 1 Tbsp. buttermilk (yes, 1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5" loaf pan and set aside. Cream butter with 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Sift flour with baking soda, salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and baking powder. Mix banana with the buttermilk in small bowl.

Add flour alternately with the banana/buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, stirring after each addition until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Combine 1/2 tsp. cinnamon with 2 Tbsp. sugar, mix well, and sprinkle over batter.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to one hour. Remove from oven, then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Store in plastic bag. This actually gets better the next day, if you have any left! 12 servings

Banana Crepes With Brown Sugar Rum Sauce

Garnish these delicious banana crepes with the brown sugar rum sauce and a few pecans, berries, or more slices of banana and some cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients:

* Crepes:
* 2 large eggs
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* .
* Sauce:
* 1 cup brown sugar, packed
* 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
* 2 tablespoons rum
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/3 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* .
* 4 to 5 bananas
* cinnamon sugar
* berries, pecans, or more banana slices for garnish

Preparation:
In a blender, blend eggs with milk. Add the flour, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend until smooth. Pour into a container, cover, and refrigerate let stand for 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

To cook, heat a lightly buttered 7" or 8" crepe pan. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter in the hot pan and swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom of the pan. Cook until the edges begin to brown. Carefully lift with a thin spatula and flip over. Cook for a few seconds, just until lightly browned. Place on a plate and repeat with remaining batter. If you will be storing the crepes for a short time, separate the crepes with small squares of waxed paper.

Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup, 2 tablespoons rum, 2 tablespoons butter, the heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. The mixture will foam, so be careful it doesn't boil over. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Slice a banana; arrange half of the slices down the center of a crepe and drizzle with a little of the sauce and sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar; roll up and place on a serving plate. If desired, sprinkle with a few berries, extra slices of banana, or pecans. Drizzle the crepe with more rum sauce and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Repeat with remaining crepes and bananas. Makes about 8 crepes, depending on size.

B a n a n a P e c a n C o r n b r e a d

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1 cup cornmeal
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 cup apple sauce
* 1/2 cup milk
* 3 tablespoons maple syrup
* 3 mashed bananas
* 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 8×8 inch baking pan.

2. Mix together the maple syrup, mashed bananas, apple sauce, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl.

3. In another bowl, mix together the whole wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Add in the chopped pecans.

5. Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.