Music to My Tastebuds

My friends were All Shook Up when I announced I was working on a recipe for a Peanut Butter Banana Bread. I told them, "Don't Be Cruel, I Can't Help Falling in Love with all sorts of combinations, especially when it comes to baking. You guys all have Suspicious Minds."

Yes, I am an Elvis fan and this is my tribute to two of his favorite foods. Those who enjoy bananas and peanut butter together will adore this quick bread. Those who don't, well you're just Hound Dogs. Here's the recipe for PB & B Quick Bread, which is really simple and simply delicious.

Peanut Butter and Banana Bread

makes one 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf

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Vegetable spray for prepping loaf pan

1 T AP flour for dusting loaf pan

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1 cup AP flour

3/4 cup old fashioned oats ground in food processor or coffee grinder

3/4 cup sugar (I used Splenda no calorie)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts chopped

3 ripe large bananas mashed well

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs (room temp if possible) lightly beaten

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

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Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare loaf pan with cooking spray and flour. Set aside.

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In medium size bowl combine mashed bananas and peanut butter. I use a potato masher for the bananas and a whisk to combine the rest of the wet ingredients. Now add eggs, canola oil and vanilla and set aside while you assemble the dry ingredients.

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In large bowl combine flour, ground oats, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chopped nuts. Whisk to incorporate all ingredients.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. As I did with the Nutella loaf, I recommend you leave the mixer in the cupboard and use your own rhythm. The secret to a moist, tender banana bread is to not overmix the batter, and that's the result you'll achieve by doing it by hand. It's not hard. It barely affected my newly developed carpal tunnel issues, and my little arthritic fingers were just fine. Bake 55 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool and after about 15 minutes gently remove the bread from the pan, cool about another half hour on the rack and let the Fools Rush In for a slice or two of PB &B Bread, aka The Elvis Loaf.

As with all quick breads, this recipe is great by itself, but even better with a schmere of unsalted butter or cream cheese. One of the gals at work likes to toast this and let the butter melt right in. A little decadent. A little like Elvis.