The Best Banana Bread Recipe Ever!

This is one of my oldest and most trusted recipes. I am not sure where it came from because its been in my recipe scrap book for years and years. I started making this recipe in college and haven't looked for a new one since.

as you can see from the stains and notes, this recipe is well loved!

I don't know about your family, but we seem to accumulate brown bananas. Some weeks we will eat a whole bunch of bananas in a few days and the next week we won't eat any, resulting in brown bananas. I hate wasting food and the nice thing about bananas is that once they turn brown you can just pop them in the freezer and leave them there until you are ready to make banana bread or breakfast cookies, or whatever else you might need smooshed-up ripe bananas for.  

Like I said, I have been making this particular banana bread recipe for years and years. In that time I have made bread, muffins and mini muffins. I have mixed in walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, and mini chocolate chips. I have thought about adding peanut butter and chocolate chips. I have thought about adding cocoa powder. I have thought about adding blueberries. I have thought about cutting the banana and adding pumpkin instead. I have thought about baking it in a cake pan and then icing it with cream cheese icing or chocolate, or Nutella, or even salted caramel! Oh so many culinary ideas! (What would you add?)

I have learned a few things after making this recipe so many times. First, do not over fill your pans or muffin liners! This batter will rise quite a bit. I learned the hard way with banana bread burning on the bottom of my oven. Fill whatever your baking pan is only about 1/2-1/3 of the way full. Second, make sure to check with a toothpick for done-ness (technical term) and check a few places when making bread. The bread will usually be a lovely golden brown and still gooey in the middle. I usually let it get a nice color and then cover with tin foil to finish baking through. Third, you can make this recipe with or without a mixer. If you have the arm strength/willingness to cream the butter and sugar the rest is a breeze. Forth, one banana equals about half a cup, so you will need roughly four bananas for this recipe. Fifth, experimenting with flavors is awesome! My favorite is chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips is making mini muffins. Sixth, shmere with butter or cream cheese and have some coffee. 

I really hope you enjoy this recipe. It the best banana bread recipe I have encountered.

follow me on instagram (@coreysuzanne) for more yummy inspiration!

What mix-ins do you add to your banana bread?

XOXO,
Coco

The Best Banana Bread

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large over-ripe bananas)
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, blueberries, etc... (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour three loaf pans, or put liners in muffin tins.

Mash bananas and mix with lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.

Cream the butter and the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until well combined. Beat in bananas.

Sift all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) together. 

Add the flour and sour cream to the butter alternatively, starting and ending with the flour. Mix well after each addition. (Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream to the butter mixture, mix until combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until combined.)

Fold in nuts, chocolate chips, blueberries, etc... 

Pour batter into greased pans or spoon into muffin cups. DO NOT over fill pans. Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes for loaf pans, 17-20 minutes for regular-sized muffins, 12-15 for mini-sized muffins, or until a toothpick that is inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. If the bread has developed a golden brown color but hasn't baked all the way through, cover with tin foil and bake until done.

Beef and Broccoli and Easy Pea-sy Fried Rice Recipe - Guest Post

Today's guest post comes from a very dear friend of mine, Kerri Anne. This woman is a fantastic cook and I think everyone who was in the theatre department at our college would agree that she is (almost) single-handedly responsible for our freshman (sophomore, junior, and senior) 15. She was always showing up with a pan of turtle brownies, or some kind of cookies, or just awesome food. To this day I don't have any idea how she managed to make us all that wonderful food and graduate with honors. I cannot recommend this ladies recipes highly enough. Try it out, and let us know how it  turns out for you!

Xoxo,

Coco

Hello, friends!  First off, let me say how honored I am that my bestie, Coco, has deemed me worthy to post my humble musings on the yummies (food, that is) on this amazing blog! 

Normally, my recipes are a celebration of all things comforting and delicious (damn the extra minutes on the treadmill, full speed ahead!)  However, lately, in observation of Lent, I have been abstaining from my favorite carbs (pastas, breads, rice, etc.)  In my search for Lent-approved recipes that also please my husband’s non-abstaining palette, I came across this Beef and Broccoli recipe.  It is nothing special, comes together quickly, and is composed of relatively inexpensive ingredients—and it’s actually delicious!  Fear not, if you are a carb-oholic, you’ll love the bonus Fried Rice recipe! 

So, enjoy this quick, weeknight meal… and look forward to my more indulgent recipes to come!  J Viva la Domestic360!

Kerri’s Beef and Broccoli
Adapted from Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons corn starch (divided)
• ½ cup water, plus 2 tablespoons water (divided)
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1lb boneless round steak  (or the super convenient “beef for stir frying” at your local grocery)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or pecan oil)
• 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Method
1. Cut beef into thin strips.  Discard fat.  (Unless you have purchased the “beef for stir frying,” which is already sliced for you.  In this case, do a little celebratory dance, you efficient person, you.)

2. In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp corn starch, 2 tbsp water, and garlic powder until smooth.  Add beef and toss to coat.

3. In a large, high-sided skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan) over medium high heat.  Stir-fry beef for about 5-6 minutes, or until it reaches your desired pinkiness.  Remove from pan and keep warm.

4. Add more oil to the pan, if needed, and scrape together any brown deliciousness.  Stir fry the broccoli and onion for about 4-5 minutes, or until tender.  I recommend covering the pan during this process—it creates a delicious broccoli sauna.

5. Return the beef to the sauna—er, pan. 

6. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch and ½ cup water.  Whisk until smooth.  Add to the party in the pan.

7.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes, making sure everything gets covered in the yummy sauce. 

8. Serve over hot cooked rice, or over….

Easy Pea-sy Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup yellow onion, diced
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 2-3 eggs, whisked
• 3 cups hot, cooked rice
• 1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Soy sauce, to taste

Method

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute’ onion in butter for 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Add in minced garlic.  Saute’ for about a minute.  Scramble eggs with the onion and garlic, adding more butter if necessary.  Add peas and rice.  Stir fry with the veggies and eggs for a few minutes, until heated through.  Add salt, pepper, and soy sauce to taste.

Pink Strawberry Whoopie Pies

Okay, last whoopie pie recipe post for a while... I promise.

Happy Valentines Day everyone! My husband and I don't really celebrate the holiday, but I love the idea behind the celebrating St. Valentine and what he stood for. I also love pink and chocolate. So, because of these facts I'm posting a pink recipe. 

These are a pretty mild-flavored whoopie pie. They aren't as packed with in-your-face flavor as some of the other whoopies I have made (check out: Birthday Cake, Chocolate Oreo, and Oatmeal Cream), but they are very yummy.

There isn't any chocolate involved in this recipe (insert sad face), but its pretty festive especially considering strawberries seem to be the official fruit of Valentines Day. Plus, I'm sure you could add a little chocolate drizzle or something if you wanted.

Pink Strawberry Whoopie Pies

(Adapted from On Sugar Mountain)

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Combine oil and sugar, whisking until thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in sour cream and strawberries.
Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Fold in flour mixture in two batches; do not overmix
Cover and refrigerate for 1/2 hour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheets approx. 2 inch apart (to allow for spreading).
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from one of the cookies.
Let cool on pan for 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry Buttercream

(Adapted from On Sugar Mountain)

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 drops red food coloring

Beat butter until fluffy, then add in powdered sugar. Slowly add in strawberries and food coloring and beat until frosting reaches uniform consistency.

Assembling the Whoopie Pies

Lay out your cakes in pairs (one for the top and one for the bottom) with the flat sides facing up, spread the filling on one of flat-sides of your cakes. You can do this with a spoon or a knife, or used a pastry bag or a cookie scoop. Top this with another cake to create a sandwich. Repeat with the rest of your pies.

For a great Valentine's craft, check out my KISS ME Conversation Heart Coffee Cozy!