I am not a breakfast person. Wait, I take that back. I’m not a morning person. I LOVE breakfast food: frittatas, crispy bacon, french toast, fruit, pastries of every kind and COFFEE. Give. Me. Coffee.
I guess I’m a brunch person or a breakfast for dinner kind of girl. Those extra few minutes in bed in the morning are worth more to me than getting up and eating breakfast before I go to work. I know, I know. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s been scientifically proven that people who skip breakfast are more likely to have problems concentrating, a slower metabolism and weigh more. Blah, blah, blah. I get it, really I do. But when I’m all warm and cozy in my bed I can’t help but hit the snooze button “just one more time.”
Sometimes I feel guilty about not eating breakfast. There’s a little voice in my head (that sounds strangely like my Mom) that tells me I should. Most of the time I ignore it. I grab my coffee (in my hot pink travel mug of course) and head to work. I drive to the office, check my voicemail, return a few emails. 9:00am, I’m feeling pretty good as I pour my second cup of joe. 10:00am rolls around and I’m wondering when it’s time for lunch. By 11:00am I’m starving and I take the last shot of coffee hoping that it will hold me over until lunch at noon. 11:58, 11:59, geez hurry up already!
I’m only going to say this once. Mom, you were right. I should eat breakfast.
We don’t have kids. We don’t have a dog to walk before the crack of dawn. I will continue to love the snooze button and my pillow until one or both of those life events occur. Challenge: Come up with a breakfast that is quick and will fill my tummy until lunch rolls around. Enter the banana. On their own bananas are heart healthy, rich in potassium and best of all (in my opinion) come in their own portable travel case! My favorite way to eat a banana (besides perfectly ripe and smothered in peanut butter) is in a thick, moist slice of Banana Bread.
Banana bread has become a ritual for me. It starts with selecting the perfect bunch of bananas. I can stand in front of the banana display in the produce section forever trying to decide which bananas will make the best bread. You’re laughing right now. I can hear you! Who chooses a bunch of bananas with the express purpose of making banana bread? Me! That’s who! I buy a large bunch of bananas with a few more than I know I can eat in a week just to make banana bread. I love the anticipation, the wait for them to be just ripe enough but before they bite the dust (there is a fine line you know).
Will today be the day? No, not quite ready yet. Maybe tomorrow. Yes! Yes! They are perfect! Let’s do this!
This is the easiest, best Banana Bread recipe I’ve found. My cookbook falls open right to this page. I don’t even know why I bother opening the book anymore. I could make this bread in my sleep!
Banana Nut Bread
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine egg, mashed banana, milk and oil; add mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in pecans or walnuts.
Spoon batter in to a greased 8 ½ – 4 1/2-inch loafpan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely before slicing.
Banana Nut Muffins: Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling three-fourths full. Bake at 400° for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately. Yield: 1 dozen.
Source: The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook 1999
Could Banana Bread get any better? I’m glad you asked that question because the answer is YES! I recently discovered a totally new idea for banana bread. I don’t remember where I read it (whenI figure that out I’ll give them proper credit) but as soon as I did I knew I had to have it. Toast a slice of banana bread, smear it with soft goat cheese (you will soon learn about my addiction/obsession with goat cheese!) and a little orange marmalade. Don’t ask questions. You will never look at any of these ingredients the same way again. Just trust me. Your life will be changed forever.
This is a breakfast I would take an extra 5 minutes for. Good Morning World!
-Yep, that’s homemade Orange Marmalade. Another recipe and another story for another day! My Grandmas would be proud!
ruthstable.blog 
Praise be to God…she finally admits that I was right!! Hahahaha! Just glad she is on the breakfast wagon now. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Aww thanks Mom!
Recently made a big batch of scones. Couldn’t believe how beautifully they froze. I take one out in the morning and heat in the oven or microwave, takes seconds and still tastes very good and fresh. They sit next to my frozen banana bread which I thaw every now and then for breakfast too 🙂
I love scones too! And they aren’t as difficult to make as most people think. I smell a blog!
I rarely bake, but I think you’ve inspired me to make banana bread. I think I can handle that recipe!!
It’s funny–your mom can attest that I am completely not a morning person and am late to work EVERY single day, yet I never miss breakfast. Not just a granola bar in the car either. I eat cereal, oatmeal, yogurt with granola, etc every morning and catch up on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe I should scratch that and get to work 15 minutes earlier! 🙂
I am not a good baker at all but I believe I can make your Banana Bread recipe! I’ll have to buy some fresh baking powder but does all-purpose flour get old too? Keep up the good work Amanda!
It’s really easy Pam! It’s a great recipe if you don’t bake a lot. It’s very difficult to mess up! Definitely get new baking powder. If your flour has been stored in an air tight container or in the fridge/freezer it can last a long time. If you’ve had it stored in the cabinet for more than 6 months though it would probably give you the best results to buy new. Good luck and happy baking!