Hi Myrna,
Funny that you should mention gathering around the table at Sara's house out in Kansas. I was supposed to be coming back up to your neck of the woods this weekend. I had been invited to fly up to Pennsylvania with some Friends from Greensboro, NC, on Friday morning for the events commemorating the crash of Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, but I wasn't able to arrange the time off to attend. Former First Lady, Laura Bush, will be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser in Pittsburgh on Friday night to raise money for the Flight 93 National Memorial. The private dinner, which is being hosted by the National Park Foundation, is expected to draw more than 100 attendees.
Then on Saturday, Mrs. Bush, along with First Lady Michelle Obama, will also attend the Ninth anniversary event commemorating the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Somerset County.
Guess I'll just have to make a little bread here at home, to enjoy with a few Family & Friends. Of course, on Sunday, we will be attending the God and Country Service, over at Wallberg Baptist Church, to remember and to honor those who have fallen protecting our Great Nation both here and abroad, as well as remembering the 3,000+ of our fellow Countrymen slaughtered by the Muslim Terrorists on 9/11. Not quite a Dinner with the former First Lady, but then again, there will be a Hot Dog/Hamburger lincheon, with all of the trimmings, following the services, along with a lot of terrific Fellowship.
Speaking of making some Bread, Banana Bread is a healthy snack that's sweet, just the way kids like it, without all of the added Sugar that can have them swinging from the trees like Monkeys. Banana Bread also packs a healthy potassium punch, and is easy to make. Just a few simple items to mix together, and you have a last-minute treat! What other baked good is actually better when the main ingredient has been sitting around for awhile?
This is the most successful and versatile quick bread recipe I've ever found! You can also use chunky applesauce or a 15 ounce can of pumpkin, for a couple of wonderful variations. Immediately following this recipe, there's another yummy Banana Bread that's even healthier, without all of the fat, just 2.2g, instead of 3.7g per serving.
Best Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Splenda
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 3 bananas, mashed
Directions
- Grease and flour two 7x3 inch loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In one bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt, and sugar. Mix in slightly beaten eggs, melted butter, and mashed bananas. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into prepared pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Lower Fat Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup Splenda
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1/3 cup nonfat milk
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray a bread pan with non-stick cooking spray, and lightly dust with flour.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in bananas, applesauce, milk, oil and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture, mixing just until blended. Fold in walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated pan until golden and a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Turn bread out onto a wire rack and let cool.
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Have A Blessed Patriot's Day Weekend & NEVER FORGET!
Phil