I admit it, I’m still recovering from the cheesecake debacle.
But it was a half day at work, and there were some brown bananas on the counter, and I had a recipe for peanut butter banana bread that looked worth a try. And trust me, I read and re-read and re-read the ingredients list as I went to make sure nothing got left out. (Oh, the poor cheesecake.)
Also, I had a helper who wanted to show off her stacking skills.
In addition to her stacking abilities, Juliet is also a champion flour measurer. We needed 1 3/4 cups (of whole wheat white), which gave her the opportunity to use three different sizes of measuring cups. She measured like a pro, leveling with a knife and only spilling some of it onto the counter.
Into the flour we added white sugar (no, I didn’t forget it), brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon (a full teaspoon instead of the half suggested), and allspice.
We whisked that together, and that was it for Juliet. Once she’d whisked, she felt her job was done and she moved on. Fair enough. She had dinner to eat, tv to watch, games to play, I understand such things.
I got out a small glass bowl — forgetting to take a picture — and melted 1/3 of a cup of peanut butter in the microwave, then set it aside to cool. Our local grocery store has been out of my favorite peanut butter (Skippy Natural Creamy) for weeks now, and they promised to order it, but it hasn’t come in yet, so I had to settle for Jif Natural Creamy. It’s okay. It’s not the best, but it’s all right.
In a separate bowl, I got the next batch of ingredients together: mashed bananas, yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Then I added the melted peanut butter. (I wanted to drink it instead, but I added it anyway.)
I mixed.
Then I poured that into the flour mixture.
Excuse the mess on the counter. It was a hectic afternoon. Our babysitter Theresa was getting dinner together for the kids, the sink already had dishes in it and I was about to discover that it was clogged and needed Dave’s intervention, and I was still feeling lightheaded and wuggy, it was all I could do to focus on the task at hand.
It all looked pretty good once mixed, and I poured it into a loaf pan.
I baked. Mine was done at 45 minutes. It smelled lovely.
I let it cool in the pan for ten minutes, then took it out.
Once it cooled, Nathaniel and I taste-tested it. Our verdict: it’s good, texture is nice, but it’s blander than it needs to me. More peanut butter and more spices would pep it up.
I haven’t tasted it again this morning, so maybe it’s better now that it’s had some time to breathe, but last night I had another piece (at a rather embarrassing hour, but I’m still in the throes of my Downton Abbey marathons) and I liked it. Still a bit bland, Nathaniel’s right, but he DID ask for another piece.
(Oh, and I skipped the glaze you’re supposed to use, which may be what provides the zing. If I were making this for guests I’d add it, but when it’s just us, I’m on Weight Watchers, and it has to last a few days, glaze doesn’t really make sense.)
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