Strawberry Banana Bread and Where Did The Time Go?

I apologize for not posting lately.  The summer is flying by!  Last week our church held vacation bible school.  My husband and I both volunteered all week.  We had a great time with all those kids!  Over the weekend I had a chance to babysit my granddaughter Claire, 22 mos.  She is very curious about everything and loves to "help".  She and I made some quick breads to give to our neighbors on Saturday, when we went next door, to have dinner.  I enjoyed watching her face as she dumped ingredients into the mixing bowl and watched the mixer.  She kept going to the oven, turning on the light to see the bread cook.  I remember her mother doing the same things and I wonder where the time has gone.  The truest truth I have ever been told, is to enjoy your children while they are young, because they aren't little for long.  It is true with my children and even more so with my grandchildren.  I treasure my time with all of them.

Strawberry banana bread is one recipe I love.  It is very simple and makes a nice moist loaf, perfect with jam or cream cheese.  It tastes good with a cup of tea or coffee.  I make mine with fresh strawberries, but you can use unsweetened frozen ones that have been thawed.  This bread is great to make and freeze too!



Ingredients

1/2c. Butter or Margarine - melted
 3 Eggs beaten
1 tsp.Baking Soda
1/2c. Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
1c. Sugar
2 c. All Purpose Flour - sifted
3  Mashed Ripe Bananas
1 c. Mashed Ripe strawberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix butter and sugar.  Add the beaten eggs.  In a separate bowl, mix sifted flour and baking soda together and add to wet ingredients, mixing well.  Add in mashed fruit and nuts.  Pour into a well greased loaf pan.  Bake for 60 minutes at 350F.
Yields one loaf.

Easy Gluten Free Fresh Peach Dessert

Easy Gluten Free Peach Dessert

Fresh peaches are in season here in central Virginia.  I think my favorite way to eat them is straight off the tree!  My next favorite way is to combine them with a nice pie crust and put some homemade ice cream on top!  Speaking of homemade ice cream, fresh peach ice cream is so good!  I could go on like this for a while....  Ok, back to my recipe.  It is very easy and tastes great.  The version I am making today is the gluten free one.  You can substitute the gluten free baking mix for regular, all purpose flour, with no problem.  When peaches go out of season, you can substitute another fruit.

Easy Gluten Free Peach Dessert

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of fresh peaches (skins & pits removed and peaches sliced thin)
• 1/2 cup of agave nectar (it is an alternative to white sugar or you may substitute sugar free sweetener). 
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (you can substitute tapioca starch if you want)
• 1/2 cup real butter or margarine (at least 65% fat margarine or else it will contain too much water)
• 1 1/4 cup gluten free baking mix or flour (I use Arrowhead Mills gluten free baking mix)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• Preheat oven to 350F

1.  Place the 4 cups of sliced peaches and 1/2 cup agave nectar or           sweetener into a saucepan on low heat, stirring occasionally until peaches soften slightly. 
2.  Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca starch and cook until slightly thick. Remove from heat and pour into 8x8 inch greased baking dish.
3.  Make the topping by combining the softened butter, gluten free flour and brown sugar together with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. 
4.  Sprinkle topping over peaches, completely covering them.
5.  Place dish in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes.  The crust won't be golden brown, but the filling will be bubbling up around the edges of the dish. Yum!
6.  Serve warm with ice cream, frozen yogurt or as is!

Heat peaches and agave nectar over low heat 

Sprinkle topping over filling