Banana Bread: The Return

Banana Bread: the Craving!

Recently, we have found ourselves making and eating a lot of banana bread. First, we have not been traveling as much as expected due to the pandemic so we are home more often and baking a LOT. Second, we like banana bread. Specifically, Shannon really likes banana bread and gets random cravings for it. Those random cravings have prompted me to keep extra bananas in the freezer so I can whip up a batch of bready banana goodness on short notice.

Wait… you didn't know that?

Yes, you can take bananas that have "gone over" (read: turning black) and pop them in the freezer for safe keeping. In fact, these overly ripened bananas provide a more intense flavor to banana bread (and smoothies) than regular bananas.

When we do have banana bread, we eat it fresh from the oven as a snack (regardless of when that actually is), as a general snack with coffee throughout the day, and in the evenings we will put nice thick slices in the toaster and slather them with a bit of butter… mmmmmmm…

Which ever way you like your banana bread, it is one of the easier, if not the easiest, quick breads to learn to make. It is hard to make a mistake with this very forgiving bread, and, even if you do make a mistake, the end result usually still makes a tasty finished product.

BONUS: It costs only pennies a slice to make banana bread at home compared to $3.50 for a slab of the dry-as-the-Sahara-Desert-bread-like-product sold at corner coffee shops and 24-hour marts.

So jump right in and give the recipe a try! Once you have this recipe in hand, you can to move on to other delectable quick bread treats like lemon-poppy seed or zucchini.

 What Ya Need
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 1/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 Medium Very Ripe Bananas
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Nutmeg (preferably fresh grated)
1 tsp Salt.

Optional
1 Cup Crushed Walnuts (Shannon's favorite)
or/and
1 Cup Chocolate Chips (Jason's favorite)

What Ya Do

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
   
2. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. 
3. Add Vanilla and Eggs one at a time and beat to fully incorporate.
4. Add bananas and slowly increase speed to mix on high for 1-2 minutes until mixture is mostly smooth.  There will be some banana lumps, that’s fine.
5. In the meantime, In a separate bowl sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Soda, Nutmeg and Salt
6. With mixer on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Mix on low until just incorporated.
7. Repeat until all flour is mixed in and moist.  Do not over beat. You want this to be a very loose batter. The more you run the mixer the tougher the bread will be.
8. Mix your Nuts (or Chocolate Chips) in by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon
9. Bake in a greased bundt pan or split the batter between two greased loaf pans
10. Bake for 45 min to 55 minutes (slightly less if using a bundt pan). Bread will be done when the house smells like banana heaven and a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean (a few crumbs on it is just fine). 

Note: Attempts should be made to allow your bread to cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slathering with butter and eating. Our record for being able to wait is just over 4 minutes… oh well…

Tip: Few things are harder to eat than dry quick breads. To ensure you have a moist banana bread; watch your bread carefully the last 10 minutes and remove from the oven immediately when it is just done.

So there you have it! Really… this is a super easy way to introduce yourself to quick breads. Give it a try and let us know how it turns out!

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Designer Crochet Autographed Copy

$22.95

Copy of Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby's Designer Crochet. Book signed by the author and photographer.

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Complete Crochet Course - Autographed Copy

$29.95

From renowned crochet designs Shannon & Jason comes the ultimate reference manual for the absolute beginner to experienced pro.

Filled with step-by-step photography throughout for an easy-to-follow and fully visual experience, this unparalleled guide teaches you how to crochet from the very first stitch—and will keep you crocheting as you gain experience! The Complete Crochet Course explains all the tools, materials, and techniques you need, from choosing a hook and yarn to seaming, working in the round, handling specialty crochet stitches, and adding details. We've included ten patterns, perfectly designed for novices eager to complete their first projects, while intermediate crocheters can enjoy mastering even more advanced skills.

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Sashiko Vest #1 Digital Pattern

$15.00

Literally meaning "little stabs" or "little pierce", Sashiko is a form of decorative reinforcement stitching (or functional embroidery) from Japan. We added Sashiko stitching elements to a vest based on Japanese patching technique, Boro to complete this design.

Boro came to predominately signify clothing worn by the peasant farming classes in the Edo era of Japan who mended their garments with spare fabric scraps out of economic necessity. A boro garment would most likely be handed down over generations, eventually resembling a patchwork after decades of mending. Only in the modern era are we beginning to see the care and beauty of these textiles.

Sashiko Vest #1 is a long vest sewn using Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabric cotton cloth, then hand stitched in various Sashiko patterns using The Shibaguyz FAB Sashiko Essentials thread collection from Aurifil Thread.

Fabric: Body - Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabric in Indigo. 

Patches - Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabric from fat quarters in various colors.

Sashiko Stitching - Shannon and Jason Mullett-Bowlsby hand stitched Hitomezashi Sashiko patterns (where the pattern emerges from the alignment of single stitches made on a grid) then the garment pieces are machine sewn.

Pattern includes: 

Instructions for making the vest in Sizes Small through 5X and doing the sashiko stitching.

Fabric amounts for all sizes

Detailed schematics, stitching instructions for the vest and for the sashiko embellishments

SIZES 

Small (M, L, XL, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X) 

To Fit Measured Bust: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60)" / 81.3 (91.4, 101.6, 111.8, 121.9, 132.1, 142.2, 152.4)cm 

To Fit Finished Bust: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62)" / 86.4 (96.5, 106.7, 116.8, 127.0, 137.2, 147.3, 157.5)cm 

SKILL LEVEL 

Intermediate 

MATERIALS 

Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabric 

2 YDs (3 YD for XL, 2X, 3X, 4X, and 5X) 

-Back Panel 

-Front Panels 

-Collar Panels 

-Sides Panels 

10 fat quarters in various colors for patches 

PLUS Two more fat quarters in the same color for the F Patch 1 (left and right) 

Sewing Machine 

Sashiko Notions 

Sashiko Thread 

Sashiko Needle and Thimble 

Sashiko Pattern Templates 

Not Required, but will make it easier 

Plastic grid 

Circular plastic grid 

Washable or heat removable White Marking Pen from Clover 

Washable Blue fabric marking pen(s) 

Serger/Overlock 

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