Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Walnuts

Banana bread is one of my favourites. This is my first "experimental" bread which I baked by changing the basic recipe and by replacing the "all purpose white flour" with the whole wheat flour, which is more nutritious and rich in fiber and protein. My husband's friend had gifted us a beautiful basket of fresh Walnuts harvested from his farm. Couldn't stop adding them in my bread and enriching the flavor. Ever since, my confidence level has been boosted so much that I now try to make variations in my breads without any fear of wasting the ingredients ! The original recipe is adapted from here.

Ingredients
Whole wheat flour - 285 gms
Bicarbonate of soda - 1 tsp
Butter or margarine- 110 gms
Brown sugar - 225 gms
Eggs - 2
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Bananas - 4 (ripe ones, mashed)
Walnuts - about 50 gms (optional)
Rolled Oats - 2 tbsp (optional)
Buttermilk - 85 ml (or normal milk mixed with 1 1/2 tsp of lemon juice)
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method
1. Mix the wholewheat flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the walnuts.
2. Cream the butter and the brown sugar until fluffy in a separate bowl.
3. To this butter-sugar mixture, add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk, vanilla extract and mix well.
4. Fold everything into the flour prepared in the Step 1.
5. Grease a 20cm x 12.5 cm loaf tin (or a cake tin) and coat it thoroughly with the rolled oats.
6. Pour the flour mixture into this tin.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the bread for about an hour or until it turns golden brown and the toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
8. Allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes and serve warm or cold, though I personally prefer a warm one.

Note : 
1. Since its very rich in taste, it doesn't need any Jam or spreads. An ideal loaf for  picnics or a vacation. Just bake a loaf and carry it for the next morning's breakfast anywhere you go !
2. Stays good for 3 days in an air-tight container.
3. A good use of the leftover, very ripe bananas !

Iam sending this Walnut-rich bread to the Bread Baking Day # 44 hosted by Winged Snail

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Cheese Bread with Chives

Who doesn't like to get a bite of warm bread coming out fresh from the oven and especially when it is topped over with cheese and accompanied with a mild flavor of chives ???? 
Would you like to give it a try ? ;)

Ingredients
All purpose flour - 225 gms
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Chives (finely chopped) - 2 tsp
Grated cheese - 100 gms
Salt -  1tsp
Egg - 1 (beaten)
Butter (melted) - 25 gms
Milk - 125 gms
Bread spices (optional) - 1 tsp

Method
1. Sift the flour in a large bowl. Add baking powder and salt.
2. Add the chives to this flour mix.

3. Add the grated cheese. Please retain and set aside 3 Tablespoons of grated cheese for further use in garnishing.

4. In a separate bowl, mix well the egg, butter and milk together.

5. Add this egg mixture to the flour and mix well.

6. Greese a baking form (about 24cms) and line it with a baking paper. Using a spoon gently spread this prepared dough on this form.

7. Top the grated cheese over the dough.

8. Preheat the oven to 190 °C and bake the bread for about 30 minutes.

9. Allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Cut into wedge shapes and serve with a warm soup.

This recipe goes to the Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Prof. Kitty this week and originally started by Haalo of Cook Almost Anything

Chilli-Mais-Brot

What do you do when you get into the kitchen having a mood of baking a bread and when you open your cupboard you find you run out of yeast !!!  Well, i had this experience many a times and thats when i discovered this bread with "No Yeast". Its a German bread baked with semolina (called Polenta or Maisgriess in German). So if you ever want to surprise your family by baking a nice bread with just 4 steps and in  less than 45 minutes(which includes the preparation time !), here is the recipe....

Ingredients (makes approximately 12 pieces)

All purpose flour (sifted) - 25 gms
Semolina (Polenta) - 125 gms
Baking powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli pepper (chopped with seeds removed) -1
Spring onions (finely chopped) - 4
Eggs - 2
Sour cream - 140 ml
Olive oil (or sunflower oil) - 100 ml

Method
1. Mix all the dry ingredients i.e. flour, semolina, baking powder, salt, chilli pepper, spring onions in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with sour cream and olive oil. Mix this well with the dry ingredients.

3. Pour this batter into a square form or a circular form lined with parchment paper and bake it in a preheated oven at 200 °C for 25-30 min. until lightly brown.
4. Cut into square shapes and serve as an appetizer or a snack.