Saturday, April 29, 2017

Gluten Free Banana Bread


I always buy too many bananas, and they get too ripe. But this is the perfect banana to use in banana bread!  A banana is ripe when it  has dark brown speckles on the skin. Personally, I like to eat my banana when it is still yellow and firm, but for bread you need it to be ripe so that you can mash it.

When you get that sweet tooth, this bread is quick and easy. And, it also has the same taste and texture of banana bread made with wheat flour (when I make this, it disappears quickly, the rest of my family loves it!With all the gluten free one-for-one flours available now, this is really an easy recipe. The apple is optional, but I think if you try it once, you'll always add it. Also, the nuts and raisins can be omitted.

Banana Bread
1⁄3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
2⁄3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3⁄4 cups one-for one gluten-free flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1⁄4 teaspoons cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 apple, peeled cored and chopped into small pieces
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans or 1⁄2 cup walnuts
1⁄2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease 9x5-inch non-stick loaf pan.
Mix together apple sauce, oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl.
Add flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon to egg mixture, alternating with bananas.
Beat until smooth.
Stir in apple, nuts and raisins.
Pour batter into pan.  Bake for 1 hour.



Thursday, April 27, 2017

Broken Arm and Easter Dinner


I have not been posting because 6 weeks ago I broke my right arm! I slipped on ice in my parking lot and landed on my right arm. I have never broken a bone before. Ouch!

They got me in quickly at the emergency room, maybe because every other word out of my mouth was "F___k"! I was in denial the first week, I was told I would be out of work and not able to drive or do much with my arm for 8 weeks.I couldn't imagine it would be so long, but here I am, still home, still unable to drive, lift anything, or raise my arm higher than my waist.

Thankfully, my husband is retired, so he has been taking care of me. Shopping, cooking, cleaning, driving everywhere. Lucky for me, he likes to eat so he has become a very good cook with my instructions. Most impressive was Easter dinner. My husband and my kids all made a part of the meal. My son made Spanakopita and Gigante Beans, my daughter made my Gluten free Easter Bread and Gluten Free Ricotta Pie, and my husband made Roast Lamb, Roasted Potatoes, Greek salad and Pastitsio! I stood next to him and told him what to do, and he did a great job! So if you think you can't make a Bechamel sauce think again, he did and it was perfect!

I am very grateful for my husband and family for helping make this wonderful Easter meal and for all the support they have given me while my arm is healing.