Tag: Banana Bread

New Releases, Berries, and a Touch of Spring

~ Sarah Joyce ~ Leave a comment

Spring is here. In Michigan this means that most days barely reach 50 degrees, but you can take a walk in a light jacket or nice sweatshirt. It means flowers are starting to pop up, the grass transitions from a dull brown to a vibrant green, and the sun is out regularly. 

After a winter of grey skies I am THRIVING sitting by my big picture window and soaking in sunlight. 

Spring also means an onslaught of new book releases. I am finding I can’t keep up with all the books coming out in April that I must have. Clearly my self imposed book buying ban is not working very well. I’m also doing a Scridb trial to get more reading in at a cheaper rate. 

But I must say the quality of books coming out this quarantine have been fantastic. Lately I have found myself floating through Emily St. John Mandel’s world. The Glass Hotel is everything I needed in a book. Straight up literary drama with the most intriguing characters and thoughtful settings. I adored Station 11 so I am so pleased her latest novel lives up to the hype and then some. 

It doesn’t hurt that I was able to sit outside with The Glass Hotel with a nice cup of tea and a slice of Mixed Berry Banana Bread. Berries are another great signifier of the start of spring for me.  

This recipe was everything I needed to brighten my week. It is delicate, sweet, and full of lovely pops of berry goodness. I used a mixture of blackberries, blueberries and cut up strawberries. Now my heart is happy and my stomach is full of carbs. 

You should totally make it. Slather on some cream cheese, jam, honey, whatever you like. It makes any day a little brighter. 

Ingredients:

2 cup All Purpose Flour

¾  cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

½  tsp Salt

¼ cup Buttermilk 

2 egg 

¼ cup Vegetable Oil

2 tsp Vanilla extract

½  cup Blueberries

½  cup Blackberries

1 cup diced Strawberry

3 medium Banana

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan and set aside. 

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix. 

In a separate bowl mash bananas and mix together wet ingredients and eggs. 

Pour dry mixture into wet and stir until just combined. Gentle stir in berries. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, then transfer to cooling rack. Wait until completely cool to slice.  

Enjoy!

Oh, and let me know what new releases are on your radar

Neil Gaiman Changes my Life and All I Have For You Is Cozy Pumpkin Banana Bread

~ Sarah Joyce ~ 10 Comments

Growing up I had pretty basic tastes. Nothing too weird. No Sci-Fi. Fantasy was okay if it was Harry Potter. I only wanted stuffy historical fiction, nothing steampunk or fun. Literary fiction was my jam. No weirdness. Nope. Not for me. 

Then in college I expanded my horizons. I was forced to read outside of my comfort zone.

I was also  introduced to Neil Gaiman. First it was just through the Sandman series. At the time I was still very anti-comic but still read the entire first volume. Then I came across The Graveyard Book and fell in love. 

Bod was loveable. His adventures amazing. Jack was just threatening enough. I read the book in a night. I was at the library the next day looking for more Gaiman. 

I found Coraline (which I didn’t love. Don’t @ me.) I found Stardust. I found Neverwhere and American Gods.

American Gods changed the way I viewed my country. It changed the way I thought about books. I found it incredibly powerful. The combination of mythology and the presence of the new Gods was fascinating, innovative. Shadow was a compelling character. The overall story was addiction addicting. The Somewhere in America segments brought balance and history. It was everything I needed. I still think about it regularly. It has a special place in my heart. 

American Gods is usually the first book I gift people. It is one I list as a favorite. It is one I would recommend people read if they want to understand me better.

I also think it is hands down Neil Gaiman’s best work. 

In other grand statements I also like the TV show. Both seasons. Yes even season 2. 

But I digress. 

Neil Gamain was a gateway author for me. I didn’t know fantasy could be so fun, that it could be so relatable. I didn’t know that relevant stories could be told. 

I also didn’t know that seeing an author speak could be so much fun! I have seen Gaiman twice now, and have several signed copies of his books. He is funny and insightful. Watching him is a deeply rewarding experience. He made me love author events. He also prepared me for future long lines at signings.

It’s okay, I can be patient sometimes, maybe. 

I still look back at Gaiman’s words with love and comfort. This year I finally read Neverwhere and Anasi Boys. I wasn’t as starstruck as my first few reading experiences, but I enjoyed what I read. 

It also reminded me of one of my favorite Gaimanisms. Back when I was first falling in love with his work I read somewhere his descriptions of American Gods and Neverwhere as a comparison. As I can’t find it now on the internet (shocking!) I’ll summarize here.

  • In England when you’re looking for something dig down –  you’re looking through the history of societies built upon each other, and that’s where you’ll find things.
  • In American when you’re looking for something drive – go far – you’ll find what you’re looking for in the distance. 

I realized how accurate this statement was. It is also plays into my love of American Gods. America is huge. Sometimes when things seem impossible, or nothing is going right, or you’re just searching for something it is really easy to get in a car, or plane, train or bike and go until you find what you’re looking for. 

And hopefully what you’re looking for today is a very tasty Pumpkin Banana Bread recipe complete with chocolate chips and lots of warm spices. It is soft, tasty, and the exact opposite of wishing a snow storm into existence a la Shadow Moon.

Ingredients

4 large eggs

1/3 c unsalted butter softened

1/3 c canola oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 c sugar

3 1/2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup pumpkin puree*

2 to 3 medium bananas, mashed. 

2 c mini chocolate chips

Steps

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and spray 2 bread pans with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, add the eggs, butter, oil, sugar and vanilla, mix until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Combine and mix. 

Add in the pureed pumpkin and mashed bananas and mix. 

Stir in chocolate chips. 

Divide batter between the 2 greased loaf pans. Cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour covered and an additional 10 to 15 minutes uncovered.

Loaf is done when a toothpick can be inserted into center and removed clean.