December 14th 2009 My Kitchen vs. Santa’s Workshop!
It’s just like Santa’s workshop! Except it smells like mushrooms…
and everyone looks like they wanna hurt me…
~Buddy (as he enters the mailroom) Elf
My workshop isn’t smelling like mushrooms, nope cinnamon and spices fill the air! Let’s be honest if you’re a child I’m not going to hold a candle to Santa’s workshop. My kitchen isn’t cookin’ up a boatload of Wii’s or iPhones, and I don’t have a army of elves working either! Tonight in my workshop kitchen I’m whipping up on a delectable gift.
Streusel-Topped Banana Bread
~1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
~7 tablespoons uncooked oats
~1/3 cup flour
~1/3 cup cold butter cut into pieces
~1 1/2 cup flour
~2 large ripe bananas
~1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~2 large white eggs (at room temperature)
~1/2 cup sugar
~1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
~3/4 teaspoon baking soda
~1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine first three ingredients. Cut in 1/3 cup of butter with a pastry blender until crumbly
In a large bowl beat banana and next four ingredients until smooth.
Combine 1 1/2 cups of flour with next three ingredients. Add to banana mixture beating until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over beat.
Spoon batter into 3 mini (3X5) loaf pans lined with parchment paper. Fill pans about 2/3 with batter, then sprinkle each loaf evenly with streusel. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 5 min. then remove from pans to cool completely.
I like to bake these then return the loafs to decorative ceramic loaf pans wrap in clear plastic wrap and tie off with festive holiday ribbon. These banana breads are easy and always a hit…….boy do I wish I had a few elves to clean up this kitchen…….
