February 27, 2008Not-so-random recipe: Cream cheese-Banana nut breadAfter last week's entry about National Banana Bread Day, one reader made this scrumptious recipe and said it turned out killer good. Cream Cheese- Banana Nut Bread
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, divided Glaze: Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place 3/4 cup pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 6 minutes. 2. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. 3. Combine whole wheat flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in bananas, 3/4 cup toasted pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup pecans. 4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides of bread pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Let cool 30 minutes. Note: To make ahead, proceed with recipe as directed through Step 4. Cool loaves completely, and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Wrap again with aluminum foil. Freeze up to 1 month. Variations: Toasted Coconut-Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread: Reduce pecans to 1 cup. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 1, toasting all pecans. Remove and reserve 1/4 cup toasted pecans. Proceed as directed through Step 3, omitting pecans sprinkled over batter. Bake as directed. Meanwhile, cook 1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk, 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut, reserved toasted pecans, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Remove bread from oven; immediately spread tops lightly with coconut mixture. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or until topping starts to lightly brown. Cool in pans on wire racks 20 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks placed over cookie sheets. Prepare glaze and pour over loaves while still warm. Cool 30 minutes before slicing. Cinnamon-Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 3, omitting pecans sprinkled over batter. Stir together 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup chopped pecans (not toasted), 1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp. melted butter, and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle mixture over batter in pans. Bake and cool as directed. Peanut Butter-Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 3, omitting pecans sprinkled over batter. Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in 2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter and 1 1/2 tsp. butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Lightly sprinkle mixture over batter in pans. Bake and cool as directed. Source: Southern Living |
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Comments
[February 27, 2008 1:03 PM]
Amy Hanek : →http://www.houseonthegladehill.blogspot.comThanks for giving us (the readers) all of these variations to choose from.
We can clean out our cupboard while making delicious food at the same time!
BTW: If anyone wants to soften their bananas immediately for use in this recipe, you can put them in the same bag as an apple overnight. The apples release a gas that ripens the bananas very quickly.
[February 27, 2008 2:00 PM]
KatI think I may be making some banana bread soon, but this recipe prompts me to ask another question: What are other good buttermilk recipes? I've found that I'll buy buttermilk for one recipe, which generally calls for 1 cup, and then I have a whole bunch left over that eventually gets thrown out b/c I don't know what else to do with it. The smallest buttermilk container is still a quart (I think). It'd be great if people could share some other easy buttermilk recipes so I have some better options than wasting half a bottle of buttermilk. Thanks!
[February 27, 2008 2:29 PM]
RebeccaLindsey, Just realized that what made this so very good was the glaze that goes on top. For some reason it isn't in the recipe but was printed on the page with the picture. Glaze: 1/2 Cup powdered sugar 1 tsp orange Zest 2 T fresh orange juice
Pour over loaves while warm.
[February 27, 2008 3:42 PM]
Amy Hanek : →http://www.houseonthegladehill.blogspot.comKat - I usually use buttermilk INSTEAD of milk when making pancakes or waffles to give more flavor to the recipe. You can also use buttermilk when making fried chicken or anything you would fry (i.e. fish fillet, country fried steak, etc...).
Buttermilk pie is yummy too! Here is a link to a recipe from Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_12265,00.html
[February 27, 2008 4:34 PM]
RebeccaOk, so I'm completely blind; now I see the glaze recipe! I need a Friday!
[February 27, 2008 8:14 PM]
Lindsey : →http://blogs.roanoke.com/fridgemagnet/No, Rebecca, I just added the glaze recipe after you wrote in that it was missing. I meant to write that earlier but got too busy. Of course, we all need a Friday! Haha! Kat, I'm glad you brought up the buttermilk issue, too. I've often wished they sold it in smaller containers. Of course, I don't really care to drink buttermilk straight. Some people love that. Mashing a piece of leftover cornbread into a glass of cold buttermilk is a favorite Southern snack. If that's not your style, you could also use buttermilk to make homemade biscuits. Besides that, I have a fantastic chocolate sheet cake recipe that calls for buttermilk. It's incredibly dense and rich, almost like a brownie. I'll certainly post it as soon as I find it. Funny thing is, I once tried to make it with regular milk instead of buttermilk and it was ruined.
[February 28, 2008 10:54 AM]
KathyKroger's sells buttermilk in pint containers. I also bought a container of dry buttermilk mix at Kroger's in the baking section but it's not the same as the good old buttermilk liquid. Buttermilk Pie is something my grandmother used to make and I love it.
[February 28, 2008 11:53 AM]
KatThanks for the suggestions on buttermilk! I had forgotten you could do fried chicken and stuff with it. I'll try to remember that next time!
[February 28, 2008 2:18 PM]
Lindsey : →http://blogs.roanoke.com/fridgemagnet/I had my first EVER slice of buttermilk pie several months ago at Thelma's Chicken and Waffles on Orange Ave. It was delicious.
[February 28, 2008 2:33 PM]
RebeccaI do buy buttermilk for specific recipes on occasion but rarely keep it on hand. So I quite often use the regular milk/vinegar trick. (one cup milk and 1 T cider vinegar or lemon juice) I used it in the banana bread recipe above and I fell sure no one knew it wasn't real buttermilk.