Banana Chocolate Chip Bread and Lemon Cake

This is what I sent my FFH (Firefighter husband) off to work with this morning. Odd combination, yes? Well, with as many as 4 different men in his engine company at one time, I must account for different tastes. I so enjoy cooking/baking for these guys. My 4 lovely children aren't always so receptive to the new things I make, so it is rewarding to have others to cook for. Feedback from the fire guys is essential. If they give it a thumbs up, I know it's a keeper. I know to make it again. Not only are they heroic, strong, brave, big uniformed firemen, with long hoses--hey where did that come from---they are also my guinea pigs. So, without further preamble, let's get to the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread.. Can I just tell you that this is my FFH Captains--his name is My Darryl-- MOST favorite banana bread! I am so glad it yields 2 loaves. One for the fire guys, and one for him to take home. ****Sometimes, I get lucky and it all begins with this.

Don't you sometimes just hope you are the first one to hit the reduced produce shelf? I check it as soon as I get into the supermarket. Of course, I know whatever you buy, you must use that day, and it works for me. 99 cents yielded me 8 bananas. I used 3 right away, and froze the rest. You can freeze bananas with success.

Here are my blackened bananas.

The blacker the bananas, IMHO, the better the end result of your baked product! All about the flavor, the moistness, yadayada.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 bananas blackened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar by mixer.

Mash Bananas by hand and add to creamed mixture (Just coarsely mash them)

By hand add eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and flour. Mix. Gently stir in buttermilk and mini chocolate chips.Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. ( I use parchment) Bake for 45 minutes to one hour or until it tests done with toothpick.

This yields 2 loaves, and freezes beautifully. Very moist, very deee-licious! Original recipe from Recipezaar. Received very high reviews. Just look how delightful:

Chocolate chips, buttermilk, bananas, sugar, BUTTER, please try. **You can also make these mini loaves, great for gifts, wrapped in cellophane, tied with appropriate seasonal ribbon. Or leave the loaves in the brand new mini loaf pan you baked it in , wrap the whole enchilada up , ribbon it, and give as gift. Great for a new neighbor??

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For the second part of the firefighter's bounty we have Lemon Cake. I can not say enough about this Lemon Cake. It is ultra moist, and fresh, utterly fantastic. How can it not be when it is Ina Garten's recipe. From her book Barefoot Contessa Parties.

The recipe for the Lemon cake can be found here. Or here:

Lemon Cake

Makes 2 loaves and they freeze wonderfully!! Can make these into mini loaves also.

1/2 pound ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature ( I used salted)

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

4 extra large eggs, room temp (Ina Garten always uses extra large eggs. Anyone know why?)

1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 lemons)

I LOVE my microplane. Perfect for zesting! Just letting you know.

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided

3/4 cup buttermilk at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze:

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper ( I did)

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. in another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk and the vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan.

Spoon the lemon-y syrup over them, and allow them to cool completely.

For the glaze: Combine the confectioners sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Oh yes, MMM-HMMM, that's just fine.

Hope the firefighter guys enjoy these once again. They must keep up their strength. They are the fighters of flames. Kiss kiss to all you fire guys. Hurry home FFH!

Talk to me. What is your favorite banana bread, muffin, cookie, or pie? Leave me a link so I can check it out. Eventually, I will be posting my banana bread cookies(with both chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts--be still my heart), banana streusel muffins, and of course, banana cream pie! They are all tried and trues.