Banana Nut Cake Bread

4-5 medium, ripe bananas
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped nuts
1 Butter Pecan cake mix
Ingredients listed on cake box - excluding water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl peel and mash bananas.  Let sit for 20-30 minutes.  Add cake mix and ingredients requested on the box excluding the water.  The bananas will replace the moisture that the water would provide.  Pour into a tube style pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Comment:  I had 5 medium bananas that were too ripe to eat and I hate to throw them away when they get that way so I usually just make banana bread.  When I opened my pantry I spotted a Butter Pecan cake mix and decided to combine the 2 and see how it turned out.  I added the eggs, oil and bananas to the mix and noticed it had the thickness needed without the water so that was eliminated.  And of course I added the nuts - 3/4 cup for me because I like a love them in my banana bread.  The tube pan was used because I thought it might give me a cake/bread combination texture.  It did!  This is one of the easiest banana breads I've ever made.  And the taste of the Butter Pecan and bananas combined is perfect.  So moist!  Yep, the food lovers wanted more.

Refrigerate or Not - Part 2

6. Peanut butter: Peanut butter does just fine stored in a cool, dark cupboard.

7. Bread: You might be tempted to store bread in the fridge, but it actually dries out faster. Instead, store it in a cool cupboard or bread box for a fresh slice.

8. Bananas: Leave those bananas on the counter, and if they turn brown before you get to them, toss them in the freezer to make banana bread at a later date.

9. Most oils: Pretty much all oils are safe to store at room temperature. If the oil has a lower saturated-fat content, such as safflower or sunflower, it will benefit from being kept cool, so store it in a dark cabinet or the fridge door.

10. Avocados: Store avocados on the counter and any leftovers in the fridge. But they’ll lose flavor, so it’s a good idea to use a whole one when making the cut.

I Didn't Know That - Bananas

When I think of banana trees I think of the pictures I've seen with 'bunches' of them hanging ready to pick.  Well, there is a little more to it than that.  This may be a bit long but I feel it's well worth reading.   After doing my research I actually went out and bought more bananas. 

First a little history.

The banana as we know it today is a specifically-grown species of the wild banana.  Now get this.  The plant originated from seed bearing relatives in the Pacific and the South-East of Asia.  The wild banana was not edible but it was discovered that if you crossed two inedible wild species, you could grow a sterile plant that actually bore bananas as we know them today.  Because of its sterility, once the new edible fruit was discovered, it was spread using offshoots form the base of the plant. 

Another interesting note is that the banana doesn't grow on a 'tree' but a giant herb plant that is part of the same family as lilies and orchids. 

Americans consume 11 billion bananas annually.  The majority of the bananas being exported to the United States today are form Latin America.  Uganda is the leading producer of bananas in the world.  Plus, bananas are also grown in Iceland due to the soil being heated by volcanic steam vents.

Banana consists mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy.  They also have health benefits such as:

1.  They help reduce depression.  Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can be converted to serotonin leading to improved mood.

2.  They are relative high in iron which helps the body's hemoglobin function and prevent anemia.

3.  They can help with both constipation and diarrhea.  Due to their fiber content, they help restore a normal bowel function.  In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas).  They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.

4.  Can you believe it can even help protect your eyesight.  Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proved that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degenerative, the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

5.  Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon.  These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacterial infections.  This increases our body's ability to absorb calcium.  In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach.  These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently.

6.  About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year.  Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to kidney health.  The results show that, over a long timeframe (13.4 years) women eating more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%.  Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective.  Women eating bananas 4 to 6 times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit. 

7.  Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673 mg), yet very low in sodium (1 mg), thus having a perfect ratio of preventing high blood pressure.  So much so, the US Food & Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

8.  Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

9.  It has been found that snacking on bananas between meals help to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

10.  And when it comes to ulcers, the banana helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation.  Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid).  It contains protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.

So now that we know how good the banana is for our body I'll give you a few tips on purchasing.  They can be found in just about any stage of ripeness.  You want to look for plump undamaged fruit, but don't be too concerned about slight bruises, the skin is tough enough to absorb most bumps.  You can actually peel them, cut them into halves and store them in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator where they will keep at least 2 1/2 weeks.  If stored outside the refrigerator keep in mind that they will continue to ripen after picking so store them at room temperature away from direct sunlight until they reach your preferred color.

Banana Tidbits

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Tidbits

The banana cannot reproduce itself. It can be propagated only by the hand of man

Home Tips

 Sent to me by a friend

Thought I'd pass this along, some good tips.

DID YOU  KNOW? ,      Take  your bananas apart when you get home from the  store. If you leave them connected  at the stem, they ripen faster.   Store your opened chunks of  cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much  longer and not mold!  Peppers  with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for  eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the  bottom are firmer and better for cooking.  Add  a teaspoon of water when frying ground  beef. It will help pull the grease  away from the meat while  cooking.  To  really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple  of Spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy  cream; then beat them.    Add  garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light  taste Of garlic and at the end of  the recipe if your want a stronger taste of  garlic. Reheat  Pizza Heat leftover pizza in a  nonstick skillet on top of the stove; set heat to  med-low And heat till warm. This  keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this  on the  food channel and it really  works. Easy  Deviled Eggs Put cooked egg yolks in a  zip lock bag. Seal; mash till they are all broken up Add  remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up  mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy; squeeze  mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done - easy  clean up.  Reheating  refrigerated bread To warm biscuits, pancakes,  or muffins that were refrigerated, place them  in A microwave next to a cup of  water. The increased moisture will keep the  food Moist and help it reheat  faster.  Newspaper  weeds away Start putting torn newspaper  in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet  newspapers, Put layers around the  plants, overlapping as you go; cover with mulch and forget  about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening  plastic; they will not get through wet  newspapers. Broken  Glass Use a wet cotton ball or  Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see  easily. Flexible  vacuum To get something out of a  heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper  towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to  your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow  openings. Reducing  Static Cling Pin a small safety pin to  the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt  or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when  wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... Ta  DA! .. Static is gone.  Measuring  Cups Before  you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with  hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup.  Next, add your ingredient (peanut butter, honey, etc.) and  watch how easily it comes right out. ?  Foggy  Windshield?  Hate  foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in  the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with  the eraser! Works better than a  cloth! Reopening  envelope If  you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to  include something inside, Just place your sealed  envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It  unseals easily. Conditioner Use  your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper  than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth.  It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought  but didn't like when you tried it in your  hair. Goodbye  Fruit Flies To  get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it  1/2 with Apple Cider Vinegar And 2 drops of dish  washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn  to the cup and gone forever!  Get  Rid of Ants Put small piles of cornmeal  where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't  digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so,  especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have  the worry about pets or small children being  harmed! INFO  ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS The  heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that  fixes things around the house for us told us that he  wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer  and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always  clean the lint from the filter after every load of  clothes.) He took the filter over to the sink and ran hot  water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material  . I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks  like. Well .... the hot water just sat on top of the mesh!  It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer  sheets cause a film over that mesh - that's what burns out  the heating unit. You can't SEE   the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets  to make your clothes soft and static free. You know how  they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box ...  well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint  screen. This is also what causes dryer units to  potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best  way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and  to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter  out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush  at least every six months. He said that increases the  life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about  that!?! Learn something new every day! I certainly  didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd  share! Note:   I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water  on it. The water ran through a little bit but mostly  collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it  with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done  in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it ... the water ran  right thru the screen! There wasn't any puddling at all!  That repairman knew what he was talking about!  PLEASE  PASS THIS ON TO OTHER FRIENDS IN YOUR ADDRESS  BOOK. NOT  ONLY COULD IT SAVE SOMEONE'S HOME, BUT IT COULD SAVE a  life !