How was everyone`s weekend? If you live in America, hopefully, you had a good weekend celebrating the 4th. If you were lucky, you even got a 3 day weekend! :)
I`ve been waiting for last weekend to come for awhile. Since my sisters are all over the place, it`s hard to get all our schedules to match as a family. This is the sad truth as we grow older. This past weekend, we were all able to be together and visit some family in Arizona, so I was happy we could all hang out. In all my years of living, my family has never set off fireworks but, this weekend we were able to for the first time! I got some nice pictures, too! :) Also, I was eating all sorts of delicious foods last week because I was trying to take my sister to all these must-eats places! What, summer beach body?!!
Okay, let`s talk about this totally awesome banana bread. You might not be intrigued since banana bread is pretty "ordinary" compared to other fancier desserts. Not to mention that everyone has their own collection of banana bread recipes. But first, look at these pictures and tell me you`ll say no to a slice of this. Can`t? Thought so. ;)
It`s summer. So, why not incorporate some strawberries? ROASTED strawberries. Total yum. Your entire house will smell amazing. Roasted strawberries should be a hand soup scent or something. I was sniffing up the smell like a maniac! Of course, there`s brown butter involved too, since I`m a brown butter fanatic. You can imagine the crazy delicious aroma of this banana bread. I mean, you have roasted strawberries, brown butter, and banana together. I like using yogurt in quick bread recipes because it makes the bread moist, soft, and gives a little tang. And, as always, I top the banana bread with a wonderful streusel and additional banana slices on top.
On a quick side note, sorry for being a little inactive in the blogosphere lately. I`ve been "trying" to be a little healthier by not baking so much. Thus, I had to lessen my posts to have enough content to share weekly with you all. I should`ve baked anyways. I have been going out for desserts, like ice cream, so much anyways! Haha~ :P I`m always trying to catch up on reading my blogs once in awhile, when I find time. Sorry, if you see me comment on your blog like 5x in a row!
Alright, crazy awesome banana bread time! Go, go! :)
Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread
Ingredients:
Banana Bread:
-
¼ cup strawberries, quartered
-
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
2 cups all purpose flour
-
¾ cup golden brown sugar
-
½ teaspoon baking soda
-
½ teaspoon salt
-
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
2 large eggs
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
¼ cup vanilla yogurt
-
1 ¼ cup mashed banana (about 3 ½ medium)
Streusel:
-
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
-
2 tablespoons brown sugar
-
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
¼ cup old fashioned oatmeal
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cubed
Directions:
Roast
Strawberries:
1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line
baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
2.
In a small bowl, combine strawberries and sugar.
3.
Spread strawberries along baking sheet in an even layer.
4.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let them cool.
5.
Once cooled, use scissors to dice the strawberries.
Banana Bread:
6.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
7.
Line a 9x5in loaf pan with parchment paper (with an overhand) or grease
well.
8.
In a small saucepan, brown your butter: Over medium heat, melt the
butter. Whisking occasionally, let the butter turn into an amber color. It will
foam/crackle a little. Once it subsides and brown specks appears at the bottom
of the pan, pay attention to not burn it. It will have a nutty aroma and once butter
turns a light golden brown color, transfer to a bowl to cool. (I stick it in the freezer to make it cool
faster--about 5-10 minutes--whisking every 3 minutes.)
9.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and
cinnamon. Set aside.
10.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, and yogurt.
11.
Mix in the mashed bananas and brown butter.
12.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the wet
ingredients into the dry ingredients--about 3-4 folds.
13.
Add and fold in the roasted strawberries until combined (do not
overmix),
14.
Transfer batter into prepared loaf pan.
Streusel:
15.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal.
16.
Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork, cut the butter into the
mixture until coarse crumbs form.
17.
Sprinkle evenly over batter.
18.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes
out clean.
19.
Allow bread to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes, before removing to
cool on a cooling rack completely.
*Notes:
-
I used 4 medium sized bananas in total. 3 ½ for the mashed bananas. I
sliced the other half to thinly to top the loaf. I sprinkled most of the streusel
(except 1 teaspoon), added the sliced bananas on top, and sprinkled 1 tsp of
streusel over the banana slices.
