A view of our front door, taken back in December. Apart from the Christmas wreath having been taken down, it looks almost exactly the same. On the days that it has snowed (again), the (now slightly battered) shovel awaits the drive and pathway clearing – a task for the first person to leave the house. If there was ever a way to let strangers know that you weren’t from around these parts, it would be not to leave both meticulous first thing in the morning!
Today for the first time I even heard Bavarian’s complaining about the weather. You know it’s been a long hard winter when you hear that kind of talk coming from them!
It seems like the vast majority of us are more than ready for Spring. I have even been fighting the slightly strange urge to do a spot of Spring cleaning (it doesn’t seem right at any time, let alone when there’s still snow on the ground) – but I have indeed made a slow start on the annual turf out of the first room – the kitchen.
In an effort to use up a few half-finished bags of flour (a product than can induce many an Expat headache – with so many kinds for so many uses, and not a bag of self-raising in sight!), a half empty jar of smuggled SunPat Peanut butter, the rest of the “owl ears” from the other day (before I demolish the lot by the handful) and some sorry-looking bananas, I thought I would do a rehash of Nigella’s Banana Bread, a standard go to recipe in this house. So here you go… Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Peanut Butter…. My critics said it was very good, and have requested some for breakfast, who’s going to argue with that? It’s good toasted too, trust me!
Chocolate Chip & Peanut Butter Banana Bread
100g Chocolate Chips, 175g All purpose Flour (type 405), 2 teaspoons baking powder, half teaspoon bicarb of soda, half teaspoon salt, 125g melted butter, 150g caster sugar, 2 large eggs, 4 overripe mashed bananas, 80g Peanut Butter.
Place flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a bowl, mix together. In another bowl blend melted butter and sugar, and add eggs one at a time. Combine and mix well with the mashed bananas. At this stage add the peanut butter to the eggs and sugar, and again mix well. Add the contents of this bowl to the flour bowl, and stir well. Place in a preheated oven (180 degC) and check after one hour. It may need slightly more or less time depending on your oven.
And for those of you about to embark on a little Spring cleaning yourselves. I suggest you wait until all “helpers” are out of the way. With Small Boy’s writing made almost indecipherable by the fact that he insisted on sticking the stickers on the curved lids before he wrote the names of the spices on them, this particular drawer is now in a slightly worse state than when we started. I am not one to turn down help mind you, but I might just wait until they are at school to sort the office paperwork….
Emily (@amummytoo) says
Unusual! I’ve never used peanut butter in a loaf cake before. Will try this. Pinned and Stumbled. Thanks for linking up to #recipeoftheweek – new linky live at midnight!
bavaria says
Thanks Emily… It works nicely, giving just a subtle peanutty taste! :)
Mama Syder says
I Love anything with peanut butter in. Will keep a note of this recipe for when Ive finished my diet. Love your front door! x
bavaria says
Thank you Mama S… Next time I would actually add more peanut butter! x
Bibsey Mama says
It’s funny that here in Spain people talk about the weather just as much as they do in England. It’s an obsession. Love the labels… ;)
bavaria says
There’s no getting away from it is there! :D Thank you…
farfromhomemama says
I think his writing is marvelous! My mum made me coconut bread as a child and that’s about the only thing that I can bake now. No matter how closely I follow a recipe, I can still mess it up. Wish I had your talent!
bavaria says
Thank you! Love the sound of coconut bread! :)
Helen says
I swear you live in a magazine world, i dont need to buy any magazines to look at a wonderful life you blog offers all of that beautiful pictures wonderful reads and a longing to be in your world.
bavaria says
Thank you Helen, I can assure you that more often than not, it’s really not like that! :D
Jazzygal says
I made my Banana Bread this week too! It is perfect breakfast fare in our house too, it being one of your 5 a day and all! Never had it with chocolate chips and peanut butter before though, sounds interesting….
xx Jazzy
bavaria says
Definitely definitely one of your five a day! Thank you Jazzy xx
Trish - Mum's Gone to says
Oh isn’t that sweet!
I’m rather partial to banana bread too but no-one else seems to like it. Won’t be trying this recipe as Rory has peanut allergy! I have to make sure I keep my Snickers Bars and Topics well away from him!
bavaria says
Thanks Trish… It’s just as nice without (or you could stick to the original recipe with rum soaked raisins!!) :D
Trish says
Rum and raisins? Now you’re talking!
bavaria says
Yep with walnuts instead of peanut butter… She’s very talented that Nigella! :)
Grace says
The same bananas we bought when I was there???? Love the labels – thats priceless! x
bavaria says
No funnily enough Mum! :D xxxxx
Funky Wellies says
I LOVE your front door!! OK, the cake looks pretty fab too, just like your son’s creative writing… ;o)
bavaria says
Thank you FW… It is a big solid Bavarian door that’s for sure! :D
mina says
awww! i can read the labels, leave ’em! (:
lovely looking cake, can’t wait to try it! and nice to see PB getting love outside of the states. ^^
bavaria says
Thanks for popping over Mina! There is no way I would ever get away with taking those labels off even if I wanted too! :D Did you see the owl cakes a post or two down? I did think of you when we made them! :D
A Patchwork Life says
Very special labels! So sweet of him. Banana bread always goes down well here, even with my banana hater, and yours looks really delicious.
You mentioned about the flour thing – that completely flummoxed me when we were in France. Searched everywhere for self-raising!
bavaria says
Thank you… He likes to be helpful sometimes! Still confuses me from time to time the whole flour thing, although I am used to making my own self-raising now at least! :D
EDtots says
Ha. I used a marker pen to write the names on our spice jars and can’t make out my own scrawl. Well done little helper!
bavaria says
Thanks ED… :D Hope you had fun in Singapore?! xxx
sharon says
I have so many banana’s in my house and I can’t wait to try this :)
ps: your front door looks lovely
bavaria says
Thank you Sharon… :)
kelloggsville says
nooooo, don’t change them! In a few years you’ll be loving them so much, they’ll be your family thing and only you will know what they actually say.
bavaria says
Don’t worry, I won’t! :)
Sarah @ The View From the Table says
One of my favourites! I have a banana / Reese’s Pieces loaf calling me from the kitchen now. I will resist. Love your spice labels :)
bavaria says
Now that sounds good… I am in the US in March, so will stock up then! :D Thank you!