Julia's Hawaiian Banana Bread?

 Today was a big day for me...I tossed out the last bit of flour....I had gotten rid of everything with wheat flour in it quite a while ago, but had saved back my fresh ground flour and my King Arthur flour....I convinced myself that I might need to cook for someone else, when they came to my house...I couldn't possibly expect them to eat my funky gluten free products....but I have changed my mind....In most cases the gluten free items taste no different...and in some cases taste better....

good bye flour....

hello new gluten free flour....

So the better gluten free item? Banana Bread....simply the best banana bread you can make...to me it tastes as good a Julia's Banana Bread , you remember me talking about Julia's banana bread right? the one that is sold in a roadside stand on Maui....

Julia sells out of her banana bread most often before noon...you have to get there early to get some...and that means driving a one lane road some 20 miles along the shoreline.....it is fantastic bread.....and now I think I know what her secret ingredient is....rice flour....sweet rice flour....

Banana Bread

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened

1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 eggs
5 medium, ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
2 tablespoon non-fat, plain yogurt
1/2 cup teff flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
cinnamon and fresh nutmeg to taste
°Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan.
° Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla in your mixer, on high speed, until the mixture is light and pale.
°Beat in the eggs, one at a time, slowly.
°Mix the bananas, yogurt, and spices separately
°In another bowl, blend the dry ingredients.
° Keep the mixer running all this time.
° Blend the dry ingredients and the banana mixture alternately to the mixer batter...then mix for 2 minutes...
  I added the optional chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips....
°Bake for one hour. It’s done when you can insert a knife or toothpick and it comes out clean. Cool  on a wire rack

mash your ripe bananas in a dish....don't notice the pile of tennis shoes in the background....

this pastry blender works great for this task...

add the soft butter, sugar and vanilla....and get it started with the mixer on medium speed...

add the yogurt and cinnamon and nutmeg to the mashed bananas...and stir...I used about a tsp of cinnamon and maybe 1/4 of nutmeg....

add the flours together and the salt and soda and mix...

add the eggs to the sugary butter mixture one at a time...keep the mixer running....and add the mashed banana mix and flour mix alternately...then mix on high speed at least 2 minutes....I know that banana bread should not be over mixed...but with these gluten free fine flours...it is important to mix for at least 2 minutes....I think it has something to do with the proteins and the eggs....and I think it is chemistry and we know I didn't do well in chemistry....

infomercial...world market has inexpensive spices...all these fresh nutmegs....2.99...

when the batter is finished...add the nuts and chocolate chips if you like and stir in...

spread in a pan....place in the oven for 1 hour....

check to make sure it is done....

then try to wait until it is cool enough to cut! so moist and so good! It is a nice thing to share...or not..you choose....I shared 3 precious slices.....

Cheers to Happy  !!