Cranberry Banana Bread

I made this banana bread for my cookie exchange last year.  I wanted to make it again this year but I had a hard time finding the recipe.  I figured that I better post it so that I don't lose it again.

Cranberry Banana Bread

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

½ cup butter, melted (I used coconut oil)

1 cup mashed banana

¼ cup milk

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup almonds, chopped

6 ounce package Craisins or Dried Cranberries

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar.  Add the milk and eggs, mix well.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth.  Finally, fold in the almonds and dried cranberries.  Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

I baked these during Superstorm Sandy.   My son had a few friends over for his birthday on Sunday (a few weeks late) so since they had no school on Monday due to the storm some of they decided to stay over night. I figured they could have these muffins for breakfast.  They seemed to enjoy the muffins.  I had one and thought it was pretty darn good.  The original recipe comes from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody with a few changes along the way.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1-1/4 cup sour cream
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon mixed together for rolling*

1. Cream the butter and sugar until soft about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add in the vanilla.  Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar and nutmeg.
3. Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the egg-butter mixture.  Start with the flour and end with the flour.  Scrape the bowl occasionally.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out the muffin batter, one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely in cinnamon sugar.  Place muffin into muffin tin.  Depending on the size of your tins, you should get about 12 to 14 muffins.  Bake the muffins for approximately 20-22 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until they are golden brown.

* The original recipe calls for 1 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. cinnamon.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook