Oatmeal-Cranberry Banana Bread

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups All-Purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups oats
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2 loaf pans and set aside.

1. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients together.

2. In a separate bowl, combine mashed banana, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eggs.

3. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently just until the dry ingredients are moistened, and then fold in cranberries.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Remove pans from oven and cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bread from the pans and cool thoroughly on the cooling rack. I let mine cool on a chopping board and they were perfectly fine.

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Banana-Pecan Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 overripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together for 3 minutes until fluffy banana creamy. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla, beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated; no need to overly blend. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Give the pan a good rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even browning.

Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Confectioner Sugar Glaze:
3/4 cup  sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons water

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Drizzle the bread with the glaze and let harden slightly then serve.