So, we are quickly approaching the middle of December.  I should be doing the following:

1.  Sending out Christmas cards, possibly with a family portrait and newsletter but definitely with some kind of personal hand written gesture.
2.  Decorating my house with all things Christmas.
3.  Be at least halfway through my gift purchases.
4.  Baking my Christmas treats to serve at the lovely 'get-togethers' that I will be hosting.

Here's reality:
re #1.  Haven't even bought Christmas cards - won't be sending any and haven't sent any for the last 5 years!
re #2.  I stuck a red bow on my door and put up a Christmas tree - not bad, right?


Nothing else will be happening though, I can assure you.
re #3.  Haven't even made a proper Christmas gift list.
re #4.  Decided that I wasn't leaving the house today.  Didn't have butter - an essential for baking - and therefor made fried rice and this stuff...


Yup, Banana bread.  I searched for it on epicurious.com because I was even too lazy to get out of my chair and look up crap in my cookbooks.  I don't know when exactly you'll be reading posts of my Christmas cookies - turning out beautifully, intricately decorated and so plentiful that they're overflowing my cookie tins.  Maybe next week (I have a cookie exchange party which will pretty much make the decision for me).   Until then, I'm working, life is as usual, time is as usual and we need to eat... stuff with no butter in it 'cause I don't have any.  Banana Bread it is.


I kitchen-sinked it a bit - throwing in nuts and chocolate chips.  Skip both if you are feeling purist (my own personal default).  I was so lazy today that I even read the recipe wrong.  I thought that I was supposed to bake it for 20 min.  Duh!!! Of course it wasn't ready.  I baked it for another 10 min.... wasn't ready... another 10 min... then I lost count and just baked it until it looked ready and the tester came out clean.  So, we won't be eating 'sugar plums' or ginger breads at our house this week but we've got some kick ass banana bread and we can eat that in front of the Christmas tree and sing a carol in the meantime...




Banana Bread (adapted just a little from epicurious.com)
1 loaf

2 1/2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup milk (could use buttermilk here and then omit the lemon juice)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or vinegar)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (I used 1/2 cup of safflower oil instead)
2/3 cup sugar
2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease and flour a loaf pan (9x5)
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
Combine the milk and lemon juice or vinegar and set aside - allow it to thicken and curdle a bit.
Combine the eggs, sugar and butter (or oil).  Add in the milk and mix well.  Add in the banana and combine until well mixed.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Mix until combined.
Add in the chopped nuts and the chocolate chips.  Combine and pour the batter into the loaf pan.  Sprinkle a little coarse sugar over the top just before you put it in the oven.
Bake for about an hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool for about 20 min before slicing.


This stuff will probably taste better the next day.