Banana Bread, Blueberry-Cherry Pie
I had been planning to break away from the desserts this time and give some dinner recipes instead, but truth be told, desserts are about the only thing I'm making from scratch these days. It's been way too hot to either cook or eat much of a meal, and besides, after you try these treats I bet you'll be willing to cut me some slack.
Banana Bread
I've been baking this banana bread for years, and I've never had anyone turn down a second slice. Even my extremely picky ten-year-old begs me to make it again and again!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup water
- 3-4 overripe bananas, mashed
- 1 2/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottom only of a loaf pan. Cream together the butter and the sugar. Beat in eggs. Add the water and bananas and mix well with handmixer on medium speed. Add remaining ingredients and stir together just until moistened. Pour into loaf pan and bake in middle of oven for 55-65 minutes, until a knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Let cool in pan for ten minutes, then invert pan to remove loaf. Let cool.
Cherry-Blueberry Pie
This is a new discovery of mine, and it's heavenly with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream on the side!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherries, pitted
- 2 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. lemon juice
- ½ Tbsp. butter
- pastry for a 9-inch, two-crust pie
Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the fruit and lemon juice, and stir to coat well.
Turn fruit mixture into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust and flute the edges. Cut small slits in the top to release steam. (A lattice crust also works nicely, if you've got a few extra minutes to put it together.)
Bake for 1 hour, with a baking sheet or a layer of aluminum foil underneat the oven rack to catch and liquid that bubbles over.