Girl Like Me; Banana Bread with Hazelnuts, Cranberries and Orange

 I do have to tell you that I wonder about the wisdom of sticking my iPhone into a hot oven all the time; one of these days I’m just gonna melt the whole thing!

“I……….. should have known better with a girl like you.”  The Beatles Circa 1964  This is a big week for the Beatles, isn’t it?  February 9, 1964 – the British invasion – how I so do remember it like it was yesterday (well almost yesterday).  Seriously, is there any music better than theirs?  I especially love the early works.

Ok, well it’s basically day three of this week where we are stuck in the house.  I did walk the dog for 45 minutes yesterday in the “Reprieve Day”.  Today’s just plain dismal.  I’m about over February already – and it’s only the 5th!  My husband keeps saying two things that annoy the heck out of me:  1) that it’s always nice by President’s Day and 2) that he knows that Spring is coming early this year…….. It’s actually a darned good thing that he ventured out onto the train to NY around 11 am………  If he’d uttered one more of these efforts to placate me, I might have turned violent.  As it was, he asked me twice if I was crabby today……..LOL

So, yes, evoking the Beatles’ lyrics, “I should have known better, with a girl like” –  me!  I was doing so well – being gluten-free for 2 1/2 weeks and succumbed today to the deadly combination of the icy-snowy weather, utter boredom, cabin fever and utter dreariness.   I really hate to evoke the analogy of Philip Seymour Hoffman here, but I’ll tell you, I can so identify with the weakness.  God Rest His Soul.  Luckily, I’m only addicted to baked goods.

Anyway, I did make Eggs in the Hole this morning.  It didn’t taste as good as my Mom’s, I’ll tell you that!  The careful combination of butter lightly browned on the Italian bread toasted with the egg cooked in the middle is so yummy (that’s a sophisticated culinary word).  I remember this so fondly with a great cup of English Breakfast tea.  There is just something about the taste of butter and tea together, I just don’t know what it is…………..

I eyed the 5 over-ripe bananas in the bowl yesterday.  They stuck in my mind.  Banana Bread is firmly entrenched in the category of pretty-pedestrian, isn’t it?   However, there is just something so nice about a good loaf on a cold day – and a nice slice with your best sweet butter, a good cup of tea and the newspaper or a good book…….. Here’s what happened:

Last week, Alex Guarneschelli asked which baking cookbooks we loved the most.  My reply:  Dorie Greenspan, David Lebovitz, Bouchon Bakery and all of Nick Malgieri’s.

“Smells Divine” Banana Bread with Hazelnuts, Cranberries and Orange – adapted from Nick Malgieri

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour,

2 tsp baking powder,

1 tsp baking soda,

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

5 over ripe bananas, mashed to yield 2 1/2 cups

3 tblsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

3 large egg whites

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1/2 large navel orange Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a loaf pan with baking spray w flour.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites to break up.  Whisk in the granulated sugar and the brown sugar.  Add the butter and whisk. Add the bananas, vanilla and orange zest.  Blend in.  Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients.  Fold in with a rubber spatula.  Add the hazelnuts and cranberries.  Mix in.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Turn the pan once after 25 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack in pan for 10 minutes.  Then remove from pan.  Serve warm or cool with your best sweet cream butter or a dollop of creme fraiche.  <3

              Considering that this recipe only has 3 tblsp of butter and three egg whites, it has a good body and texture – not too heavy.  Very flavorful! (did I make up for the meager amount of butter on my slice? :))

One more time:

 image courtesy The New Yorker

 Winter is as Winter Does <3

Oh and here’s a big shout out to Frida Elshennawy, our Pastry School classmate who just finished the cake shown below.  Frida’s living in Dubai now as her native Egypt is not a good option for the time being.  Frida was always good for a laugh and got herself into some pretty interesting situations while living in New York.  Once she had to walk around 60 blocks to school because she locked her keys and cards in her apartment.  She and Chefs Gerri and Chad had their issues!  But, all is well now as we can see!  Congrats to you Frida!  Wow!  Don’t ever tell me you can’t bake scones again!  Are you kidding?