Honey Pecan Banana Bread

When my husband and I first married I could make one thing...banana bread.  No joke, my tuna was horrible, hot dogs were deadly and remind me to tell you about the time I accidentally par-cooked a frozen steak with the pilot light.  It is safe to say that cooking was not the reason Hubby married me.  Banana bread though I could rock!  I have played around with different types since I started making it and this is by far my favorite one.  I love the addition of honey and the delicate crunch of pecans.  This is amazing sliced up or heavenly as french toast.  *groan*  No matter how you eat it you will love it.

Start with a stick of room temperature butter (unsalted) and mix it with 2/3 cup of sugar.  Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon ginger.  Once this is mixed well add 1 egg and 2-3 tablespoons honey.  I add more because I love honey, if you don't care for it you could omit it but try it once with honey because it adds a wonderful subtle flavor.  Next add 2 medium bananas that are mashed up (I use a potato masher).  *Note, if you bananas are not ripe enough mash them and leave them on the counter for 20 minutes, they will turn mushier.  To all this add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2 cups of flour.  Fold in 1 cup of roughly chopped pecans.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes  Just start checking after 45, mine usually takes about 54 minutes to cook but if it is more humid it may take a tad longer. 

Try to let this cool before slicing and if you are able to wait please email me and tell me how you did it because I am never able to wait.  As soon as my fingers can handle the heat I cut me off a hunk and slather it with honey butter.  The butter and honey melt and make this a true finger lickin' treat!

Honey Pecan Banana Bread

1/4c (1 stick) room temp. butter (unsalted)

2/3c sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2tbsp honey

2 medium bananas (mashed)

1 tsp. baking soda

2c flour

1c chopped pecans.

Cream butter and sugar.  Add cinnamon, ginger, salt and vanilla.  Add egg and honey.  Mix well.  Mash and mix in bananas.  Add baking soda and flour.  Fold in pecans.  Bake in 1 large or 3 small loaf pans in a 350 oven for 45-60 minutes.  Cool and enjoy!

Honey Butter

1/2 stick room temp butter (salted)

2 tbsp honey

Mix and slather on Honey Pecan Banana Bread.

Apple Crunsp

We are having issues with our computers right now so picutres will be added when the computer stops having a mind of its own.

I love this, I think this is my favorite that I make.  I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never tired of it.  Not to mention it is easy, easy, e-a-s-y.

You need:

7-8 apples, I use a mixture of granny smiths and some soft flesh kind

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup old fashioned oats (not quick cook)

1/2 cup pecans

1 stick of butter

Peel, core and slice your apples.  Mix in white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and molasses.  Mix till every apple has some yummy goodness on it.  Melt 1/3 of the stick of butter in a cast iron skillet.  Once melted add apples and let simmer.

You can chop the pecans but I don't care about uniform size, I think it adds to the dish if they are different.  So I do a little kitchen therapy here.  Place pecans in baggie, grab rolling pin, think of something bothering you, wack the pecans.  Sigh, now don't you feel better!

Put flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans and remaining 2/3 stick of butter (cut into pieces) into the same bowl the apples were in.  Use a pastry cutter and cut butter into mixture.  You want the butter to be about the size of small peas when you are done.  Turn the burner off and sprinkle topping over the apples.  Place the entire skillet in a 350 oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.  I like my apples softer so I lean towards 45 minutes.  

You can top this with vanilla ice cream but I prefer a drizzle of heavy cream.  It is warm, gooey, crispy, crunchy...it's Apple Crunspy!