Tags
Bing Crosby Christmas Album, creative baking by Mary, Holiday memories of Christmas baking, Mary improvises in the kitchen with her baking, Mary's bread still needs named, old-fashioned Christmas baking
Ok, so this is me…sitting at my computer, looking out the window and thinking “it’s snowing SOMEWHERE, I just know it!”…and then thoughts of Christmases past start rushing through my head! It was so much fun being a kid, yet I didn’t realize it! I spent much of my time wanting to be an adult. Go figure! Blaaa…make me a kid again! HA! Decembers were cold and snowy, and Christmas really felt like Christmas. From hats, gloves, scarves, snow boots, snow, snow, and more snow…to hot chocolate, all sorts of Christmas goodies…cakes, breads, candies, cookies, and more! Not to forget the best of all, mom was always playing her Bing Crosby Christmas album …
…Ahh, the memories…so nice!
So then, I’m rushing to the kitchen, looking around to see what I have to bake something yummy with! I was on a mission to get the house smelling like good old-fashioned Christmas baking! Ah ha, what did I see…5 rather ripe bananas looking back at me! So I grabbed them. Then I spotted walnuts, grabbed them too; I started taking my baking flours out and all sorts of goodies, gathering them together. As I looked at everything, I wondered if I could do with baking the same thing I do with my meals – get creative and improvise!
Hmmm…I was kind of leery, but oh well…you know me, I took a chance!
I love taking chances because we never know what we’re gonna get. It could be good, it could be GREAT…but we won’t know until we try. So what do you think? Do you think it turned out good or bad? I won’t tell you quite yet…here take a look at the ingredients first:
Ingredients – Makes two loaves
- 1/2 cup whole ground flaxseed meal
- 2 cups corn flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 5 ripe bananas – mashed
- 1 2/3 cup of Almond milk
- 4 oz. unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup extra light olive oil
- Olive oil cooking spray
Let’s see the directions now…
Directions:
Heat oven to 350.
In a large mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients (except walnuts) together. Slowly whisk in milk. Incorporate bananas & applesauce, stirring both into mixture using a fork, do same with walnuts. Finally, add in olive oil, mix well. Spray 2 bread pans (approx.: 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5) with cooking spray, and pour 1/2 mixture into each pan.
Cook for 40 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes, remove bread from pans and place onto a festive holiday platter. Serve warm, with a glass of Almond milk, and try some strawberry preserves on top! Mmm Mmm! Oh, and by the way.. the answer is “They came out DE-LISH!” I even opened the front door to share the aroma with the neighbors! I’m just that way! 🙂
I never thought ‘ME‘ of all people would get creative when it comes to cooking sweets or desserts. This is the very first time I did not follow a recipe when it comes to baking, and I’m so proud of myself because it turned out UNBELIEVABLY scrumptious! Perfectly moist and flavorful! I had no idea how much it would make, or how long it would take to cook. It was all one big experiment, but well worth the effort! Plus, I accomplished what I was after in the first place, filling the house with the aroma of old-fashioned Christmas baking! C’mon over and have a slice!
There’s just one thing… I haven’t named it yet! But don’t worry, I will! I truly hope you try this out! Let me know what you think!
Old fashioned love to you!
Mary