Light Banana Bread

I'm always looking for a good banana bread recipe. I found this one on Cooking Light. It is really good and a little healthier than some recipes.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Soft Pretzels

Add the following two ingredients together and let sit while preparing other ingredients
2 T. yeast
1 1/2 C. warm water

In separate bowl combine the following:
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
4 C. flour

Preheat oven to 425. Mix the liquid and dry ingredients together. Knead until dough is smooth (I just use my Kitchen Aid for about 5 minutes). Pull off a small section, roll into snake and tie in a knot. Finish using all the dough. Brush melted butter on top and sprinkle with whatever you would like, but we have used salt, Parmesan cheese, or our family favorite, shredded cheddar cheese!!! Bake for 12-15 minutes.

We like to dip these in homemade honey mustard!!!

Double-chocolate Nutrient-Rich Oil Free Bran Muffins

yields: 20 Muffins

3 cups wheat bran (this looks like sawdust and is found in the bulk section)
1 cup boiling water
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Measure 1 cup bran and 1 cup boiling water into large bowl. Let stand for 5 min.
Add buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin. Whisk until smooth.
Ina med. bowl combine flour, remaining 2 cups bran, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Whisk until combined
Add dry ingredients to wet ones gradually while mixing gently with large spoon. Add choc. chips
Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 350 for 20min. Cool in pan for 5 min them remove eat warm or room temp. They freeze well too!

Randi's French Peasant Bread

1 pkg. dry yeast
2 c. warm water
2 T. sugar
1 T. salt
4 c. flour
Oil
Cornmeal
Melted butter (1/2 cube)

Place yeast, water, sugar and salt in bowl and stir until dissolved. Add flour, one cup at a time and stir until blended. Do not knead. Cover and let rise for one hour or until doubled. Flour hands, remove dough from bowl and place in 2 rounds on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise an additional hour. Brush top with melted butter and bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375, brush with butter and cook additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with butter. Serve warm.

*This is a yummy bread recipe I found in our ward cookbook. It is easy and not a lot of work. If I can make this bread, anyone can.

Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
½ cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 bananas (extra ripe)
½ cup buttermilk
Nuts (optional)

Cream shortening and sugar together. Beat in eggs. Add dry ingredients to the shortening mixture and mix well. Mash bananas with fork; add to bowl along with the buttermilk. Mix well. Pour mixture into well greased and floured bundt pan. Bake @ 375 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.