My Favorite Banana Bread

I have used this recipe a ton! I almost always add semi-sweet chocolate chips, but sometimes I'll add chopped walnuts or pecans instead.

*1 Square Butter
*1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
4 Large bananas, mashed
2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Soda
1 C. Semi-Sweet chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs and mashed bananas. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and soda. Add to banana mixture. Do not overmix. Pour batter into greased bread pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, until golden brown.

*If you want to make this a bit healthier, feel free to substitute the Butter with 1/2 Square Butter plus 1/2 Cup Applesauce, and change the sugar to 3/4 C.

Mackenzie's Whole Wheat Bread

This whole wheat bread is super healthy and easy to make. We love it!

1/3 C. Olive Oil
1/34 C. Honey
2 1/2 C. Warm Water
1 1/2 Tbsp. Yeast
1 Tbsp. Salt
6-7 C. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. Vital Wheat Gluten
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dough Enhancer (optional)

Combine warm water, yeast, and 2 C. flour in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sponge for 15 minutes.
Add honey, oil, vital wheat glugen, salt, dough enhancer, and 4-5 C. additional flour until dough begins to clean sides of bowl. Do not allow dough to get stiff and dry, It should be smooth and elastic.
Knead the breade (by hand 7-10 minutes) until smooth , elastic, and small bubbles appear beneath the surface.
Form into 2 loaves and put into greased bread pans. Allow to rise in slightly warmed oven until double (about 30 minutes).
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until top and sides are golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Blueberry Muffins

I had tried a lot of blueberry muffin recipes, and wanted one that was relatively healthy, and easy to make. So this made the cut! The original recipe called for all white flour and lots of butter. I cut down the amount of the butter by swapping in some applesauce, and did half whole wheat flour. They tasted just as good, and John didn't even noticed that I had changed anything! Next time I make them I'll try reducing the amount of sugar as well.

1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Applesauce
2 C. White flour
2 C. Wheat flour
2 1/2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1 C. Milk (I used skim)
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
3 C. fresh blueberries (I used frozen)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour muffin tins.
Sift flours, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar together. Add applesauce and eggs and beat well. Add milk and flour mixture. Beat until combined. Gently stir in blueberries.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Part-Wheat Pizza Crust

1 C. Warm Water
2 1/2 tsp. Yeast
1 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 C. White Flour
1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp. Vital Wheat Gluten

Mix in order. Let rise about 20-30 minutes, if desired.
Makes 1 large crust.