Cold, Snowy Days = Baking Time!!

So I get the urge to use my oven and fill the house with tempting smells that linger well past the timer dinging "DONE" when the weather turns snowy and cold. Yesterday I made white bread with my favorite recipe. This morning, while I was waiting for a business appointment to arrive I decided to make banana bread. I love my banana bread recipe because it isn't oily and it doesn't give you cavities just smelling it. It's one I altered to reduce the fat and sugar in it, and frankly, I like it much better than the original version. Oh, and I made gingerbread because the kids have been begging to make gingerbread houses. I don't think it matters that we're past Christmas. It's going to keep the kids busy and away from the television this evening. I'll post pictures later. But I thought I would share my banana bread recipe because I like it so well.

Velvet Banana Bread

5 large ripe bananas

4 eggs

1/2 Cup shortening (or butter or margarine)

1/2 Cup applesauce (those applesauce cups Seneca makes for lunches are 1/2 cup)

1 Cup sugar

4 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 Cup nuts (my favorite are pecans, but walnuts are good too)

Beat bananas until liquid. Add eggs and applesauce and blend thoroughly. Cream shortening and sugar. Add to banana mixture. Blend. Add dry ingredients. Mix. Pour into greased loaf pans (2 large or 4 small; or 8 mini loaf pans and one medium/large pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans.

Now if I can just figure out what is for dinner tonight...when I am in Baker Mode, entrees just don't sound too appealing.