Banana Bread: 2 Varations

I love the smell of banana bread baking in the kitchen. The aroma takes me to a garden or comforting place in my mom's kitchen. She loved to bake.

Ingredients:
Parchment or wax paper
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each ground nutmeg and salt
2 medium (1 cup) ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)
fresh cranberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or wax paper extending paper up sides of pan; set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt on a sheet of parchment or wax paper; set aside. In a large bowl combine bananas, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips (optional); pour into parchment lined-pan.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Use edges of parchment to lift bread from pan onto a wire rack. Pull back edges of parchment. Cool completely. Add cranberries on the side for presentation. Makes 12 servings.

If you'd like to make Banana Bread with the cranberries inside, here's a great recipe:

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs
3 mashed bananas
1 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, and mix in bananas, cranberry sauce, milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually blend flour mixture into the banana mixture. Fold in walnuts. Pour into the prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, and cool completely.