Let Us Bake Bread Together with Cast Iron Cookware

Bread machines are great. We have one and use it often. However, there is nothing like bread baked in a cast iron pan. It is a wonderful thing to do together. Teach your children or grandchildren how to bake homemade bread. You may have to teach yourself first but that is not difficult.This Old Mountain cast iron loaf pan is pre seasoned and ready to use. It measures 11 3/4″ x 5 3/4″ x 3″ and has attached loop handles for safe and easy use. Cast iron cookware heats evenly and leaves your bread loaf moist inside with browned just right crust. It is great as a loaf cake pan as well.

Have you ever taken a good look at the word “pan”? It can mean many types of container but usually is is broad, shallow, without a cover. To wash gravel in a pan was “panning for gold”. “Pan” is also the word for bread in Latin. Notice it nestled in the following words? “Com-pan-ion” Someone with whom we eat bread. “Com-pan-y”. People who come to see us. Look and you will find many others like “pan-cake”, “panini”.

Banana Bread

Should you get a real craving for a warm slice of banana bread, here is what to do. Head for your local produce store and find a shelf of overripe fruits and vegetables at discount prices. You can usually find a bag of about 8-10 brown spotted bananas for about a dollar a bag. You can’t beat that for a deal! This recipe is packed with flavor.

* 3 ripe bananas
* 1/2 cup soft butter
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 4 eggs
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons baking power
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:

* 1 sliced banana
* 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl peel the bananas and cut them into small pieces. A potato masher works well to mash the bananas. Set aside. In a separate bowl cream the soft butter, white sugar and brown sugar all together with a wooden spoon. Add the beaten eggs and mix until smooth. Add in the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix together until well blended. Add the mashed bananas, and mix. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Use a wire whisk and mix together. Pour the flour mixture into the liquid. Mix together till just combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts. Pour batter into a well greased 9x 5 loaf pan. Peel a banana and slice into pieces. Place the banana slice down the middle of the loaf. Top the banana slices with chopped walnuts. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 – 60 minutes. If you place a thermometer into the center of the loaf it should register between 180 to 185 degrees or until a skewer inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow the banana bread to sit for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool on a wire rack.

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