I’m here for the Banana Bread

During our three weeks of self quarantine, Thursdays are the days that are the toughest on Gavin. Of course, I’ve over analyzed this concept and still don’t have a clue as to why. But this morning started out much like our other Thursdays. By mid morning, I was over it and decided to throw in the towel on preschool e-learning and therapy driven activities. So naturally, we baked. Combining one of Gavin’s all time favorite activities with one of my all time favorites, homemade banana bread.

In our house, we always try to substitute for healthier options. This recipe is what I like to call “Full Octane”. Meaning there are absolutely no healthy substitutions here, just pure deliciousness. People really love my banana bread. I normally try to keep one loaf for us and give one loaf away. I’ll send it to work with Greg and his co-workers rave about it. Sometimes I give it to one of Gavin’s nurses or our neighbors or some friends. Since I can’t do that this time, I decided just to share the recipe. So here ya go friends! My super simple homemade banana bread recipe.

The first step is to mash 4 very ripe bananas in a skillet on medium heat. Bring that to a boil, then add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. This is the most important step and from what I can tell, a secret step that most people do not do. When you cook the bananas, their sugars begin to caramelize. This enhances the flavor and the natural sweetness. Depending on the season, typically I will add a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to this mixture. Stir in the baking soda, along with spice of your choice. Set it aside and let it cool.

Next, I get out my ancient KitchenAid mixer and cream together one stick of butter and one cup of sugar. The butter should be soft or room temperature. Most the time, my butter is coming straight from the freezer, so I just pop it in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. I always make Gavin open the stick of butter. It might sound like a mean trick, but it’s a great way to sneak in some occupational therapy skills.

After the butter and sugar is mixed, add one teaspoon of vanilla, two eggs, and two cups of flour. Another trick that I’ve learned (by trial and error) with baking with a toddler is ALWAYS face the mixing lever towards me. I got into a habit of teaching him that the “LOCK/UNLOCK” lever was his lever to use and the “STIR/1/2/3…” lever was Mommy’s. Too bad I don’t have any photographic evidence of what happens when he had Mommy’s lever and two cups of flour was (key word, was) in the bowl. I’ve also tried to just keep the mixer unplugged, but Mr. Smarty Pants has figured that trick out and doesn’t let me get away with it anymore.

Check on your bananas. Are they cool? If so, add them to the mixer as well. If not, wait a little longer. Especially if you plan to add chocolate chips. If the bananas are too warm, the chocolate chips will melt. Turning your bread into chocolate banana bread, which isn’t bad, just different.

Now that you have the batter mixed, you can add whatever extras to your bread. My typical go to’s are chocolate chips, blueberries, or walnuts. Today, we added chocolate chips. I typically mix the chocolate chips in with a spoon rather than the mixer. 1. Gavin likes to use the spoon to stir (another PT/OT activity snuck right in there) and 2. I don’t over mix the bread. Pour the batter evenly between two greased bread pans.

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The final step is optional, but definitely a game changer. I make a crumb topping. Combining one stick of butter, one cup of flour, half cup of sugar, a quarter cup of brown sugar, and sometimes a half cup of crushed walnuts. Use a fork or your hands to mash this together. Another spot to sneak in some therapy, I have Gavin use his hands to sprinkle the crumbs on top of the batter getting in some sensory play. Again, depending on the season, I will add a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the crumbs.

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Place the two bread pans on the middle rack, in the oven heated to 350 degrees. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Mine typically takes about 55 minutes. Let them cool before serving and enjoy! Let me know how yours turns out and what you added! If two loaves is too much for your household, you can easily freeze some for later. Or when this is all over, you can let someone know how much you missed them by sharing some with them. Hope you are well. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay home.