Simple Banana Bread

 

Banana bread is one of those things that I really love but rarely make for myself. I remember to buy bananas like 3 times a year, and when I do remember to buy bananas I usually end up eating them all during the week instead of waiting for that perfect overripe state. But not this time! No! I was super prepared and I bought enough bananas to cover both breakfasts and bread making for the upcoming week. I purchased a slightly under-ripe bunch of bananas on Sunday and on Wednesday I had bananas that were just starting to speckle with brown. And so begins my tale of how to make banana bread.

Makes one 9x5" loaf

Ingredients:

• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• Optional: 1 cup chopped pecans or 1 1/2 c. large chocolate chips (you can use regular ones, but I swear by the jumbo babies because I like the size better in a loaf -- regular chips tend to melt away and lose their shape). Heck if you really want you can add 3/4 c. pecans and 3/4 c. chocolate chips. It's your world.

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F and position the rack into the middle of the oven.
2. In a large mixing bowl mash your bananas. You can use a fork, a pastry cutter, a potato masher... Really anything. Just mash those nanners up until there are no pieces bigger than a big pea. Or a bean. Or a Junior Mint. You see, this is clearly an exact science. You may proceed.
3. Mix in the melted butter, then add the sugar, egg, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
4. Next add the baking soda and salt, mix again to combine. Then add the flour and mix.
5. If you decided to add nuggets of goodness (aka pecans or chocolate chips), now is the time to fold them in.
6. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5" loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let it rest in the pan uncovered for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely, another 45 minutes.
7. Store in an airtight container or covered in foil for 3-5 days. 

 

Gin & Soda with Lime

Now for something short and sweet: I love gin and tonics like Augustus Gloop loves chocolate. I love chocolate, too, but when it comes to adult beverages I prefer unsweetened and even a bit on the sour side. Thus my undying love for G&T's. Unfortunately tonic water has almost as many calories as regular sweet carbonated beverages like coke or ginger ale, so I like to swap the tonic for zero-cal soda water.  This is a perfect example of adulthood: attempting to be health conscious while I get my drink on.

Makes 2

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces gin (I prefer Beefeater)
• 12 ounces soda water (1 can)
• 1 lime, sliced
• Ice 

Directions:

1. Place ice in two glasses. Add 2 oz. gin to each glass, pour 1/2 can soda water into each glass.
2. Lightly squeeze one slice of lime into each glass, then add the remaining slices to the glasses and stir. Serve and enjoy!