Tips For Enjoying Banana Bread

Inviting some friends over for a Sunday brunch can be relaxing and entertaining experience. Brunch itself is famous for being one of the easiest meals to prepare when entertaining. The best thing about it actually is that there are so many different recipes that give you the chance to prepare brunch in advance so that you can enjoy the time when your guests arrive. As it is very easy to make and exists in many variation, banana bread seems to always be a favorite addition to any brunch.

It is in fact so easy to make banana bread that you can even use your children to help you with it. You can get them to peel and mash the bananas. Then just let them mix the ingredients with their little hands. All the ingredients are soft enough you can leave the mixer standing in its place while the kids are having fun. Another good thing about it is that it’s easy to clean up after making banana bread as the majority of are for one bowl mixtures.

An easy and tasty variation of banana bread is made by adding chocolate chips into the batter. Chocolate taste blends well with bananas and the chips themselves hold their shape in the bread. The only thing you have to remember is to put the chocolate chips just before pouring the mixture into the pans. Adding some chopped walnuts is also a good idea, although it is a bit risky, because in case you decide to go for it you’ll have to be absolutely sure that none of your guests is having a nut allergy.

In case you are pressed by the time you can always make banana bread in the bread machine, just follow the instructions and add the products in the same order as they are listed. And if you feel bored and want to make it a bit different you can use the muffin tins for the mixture and bake some banana muffins. There are banana bread recipes that are good even for people strictly watching their fat intake. The result is still moist and tasty banana bread with reduced fat.

You can also use overripe bananas in these recipes and what’s more we often get them cheaper, don’t we? Of course we can freeze some too. Freezing bananas is easy – just peel and mash the amount you need, then put in a plastic bag or an air-tight container and straight into the freezer. Next time you are making banana bread just take the frozen bananas out and put them in the mixture.

Another thing you would like to know is that prepared banana bread freezes well also, so when you are next making a loaf, just make some more, pack it tight and freeze it. Afterwards you can use it anytime you decide. It makes a great hostess present to take along when you're invited to somebody’s house. So next time you are out for groceries, get some extra bananas and try preparing a loaf or two of banana bread – it’s easy to make and most people enjoy it. What’s more it’s also easy to have on hand, as it freezes well.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning food and drink. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Banana Bread

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Zucchini Pumpkin Bread Recipe

This is a delicious twist on zucchini bread. I always seem to grow too many zucchini plants, so I've been experimenting for years, trying to figure out some of the best ways to use them. This is one of my favorite recipes for using up an abundance of zucchini. I also keep frozen shredded zucchini in the freezer to use during the winter months. This bread is a special treat on a cold winter's day. For best results, if you do use frozen shredded zucchini, be sure to let it drain well after thawing. Otherwise the mixture will be too wet and not rise well.

Zucchini Pumpkin Bread Makes 2 loaves

3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin (can substitute butternut squash)
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups zucchini, shredded
1 cup chopped walnuts or raisins (optional)

Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin, melted butter and vanilla, mixing well. Combine all dry ingredients. Stir well until spices are mixed throughout. Gradually add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini and nuts or raisins. Pour into loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick or knife comes out clean when inserted into center of loaf. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Kathy enjoys cooking and gardening. Visit her KitchenAid Mixer Attachments website and check out the Ice Cream Maker

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Good Eats, Parrot Owner Edition Part 3

In this installment of Good Eats, we are going to focus on a timeless classic - birdie bread. Recipes for various sorts of bread to be served in different forms (normally in muffins form for ease of cooking) are a favorite among bird owners. Easy to make, easy to store, and even easier to serve, birdie bread takes away the stress of constant cooking for your companion. Here are some quick and easy birdie bread recipes.

Strawberry Pellet Bread

3 cups pulverized pellets (food processor is great for this)
1 cup of strawberry yogurt
1 cup of strawberry jam
1 cup of honey
2 eggs
1 package Bisquick biscuit mix
Mix well. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

This recipe is simply titled A Great Birdie Bread, and we agree.

2 C cockatiel crumbles (or larger depending on the size of your bird)
1 banana
1/3 C wheat germ oil*
6 eggs--with shell
3T pumpkin, yams or squash
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 1/2 T applesauce or 1/2 apple
1 C thawed frozen mixed vegetables
1 C cooked dry beans
1 C cooked brown rice
2 C corn meal
4 T baking powder
Food process first 8 ingredients. Add beans & rice and blend til pulverized. Add to cornmeal and baking powder. Mix well. Add water if too thick. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes til done.

*You can find wheat germ oil (for horses) at most feed stores. Freeze the stuff crumbled, zap about 1 T. per bird per day.

Pineapple Carrot Bread

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar (can use less)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
3 eggs
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup vegetable oil (or 1 c. applesauce)
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon. In another bowl, beat eggs, add carrots, oil, pineapple, nuts & vanilla. Stir moist ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing just until moistened. Spoon into 2 greased & floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until loaves test done. Cool 10 minutes in pans before removing to wire racks. Makes 6 mini loaves.

Breeders Best

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup Miller's bran
1 cup soy bean meal
1/2 cup brewers yeast (nutritional, not bread raising kind) 1 cup raw wheat germ
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup baking powder
1 cup parrot pellets (We use Pretty Bird, small size)
1 cup Petamine
1/2 cup wheat germ oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 dozen eggs, with shells, ground up (use blender) 1 cup chopped spinach
2 cups shredded carrots
2 apples, shredded
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup honey
2-3 cups milk or enough to make a heavy batter
Mix up everything in a huge bowl. Use your blender for the eggs and apples and bananas.
Bake in foil lined pans sprayed with pam. 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pans, cut in 3x4 squares, store squares in freezer. Defrost as needed. Give each bird a small piece daily in addition to regular seed mix.

We hope this was enough information to get the ball rolling. Once you've had a practice run with a couple types of different breads, let your imagination take over and see what you can create. I guarantee your birds will like it. Birdie bread is an easy way to sneak healthy foods into your birds diet, especially if you have a picky eater. These recipes don't have to be made in 'bread' form, either. Traditional form, that is. For ease of serving, consider spooning out these recipes in cupcake or muffin form, which will allow you portion control and easier storage then actual bread slices.

Emily is very active in the avian community participating in numerous websites and online communities for parrot owners. Emily is also a moderator at http://www.BirdBoard.com She is head writer for http://www.BirdToys.com and online shopping portal for fun and unique bird toys, bird food, cages, and supplies.

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MOIST BANANA BREAD

2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
4 eggs, beaten
4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. soda
5 lg. or 6 med. bananas
1/2 c. or more maraschino cherries (halved)
1 c. chopped nutmeats
Cream butter and sugar. Beat eggs until light and add. Sift together 3 times the flour, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add to creamed mixture a little at a time. Add slices of banana alternately with flour; beat well. Then stir in nuts and cherries.
Line greased pans with wax paper. Makes 4 small loaves or 2 medium ones. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans; remove waxed paper. Wrap in foil and refrigerate or freeze.