Day Forty-Two

There is exactly one food that defines this whole quarantine thing - banana bread. The girls have made banana bread twice per week every week because it turns out that I can tolerate being locked in the house with them for weeks on end, but DON'T YOU DARE WASTE BANANAS. It is just us? We either go through dozens of bananas a day or we don't eat any at all. It drives me NUTS. If I buy enough, the girls won't care about them. If I skip buying them, the girls suddenly care deeply. I do not understand why banana consumption is not linear, you guys.

And, thus, the girls had to hear me yell about bananas getting wasted and started trying to figure out ways to hide their sins. One thing led to another and now they keep making banana bread.

This is not a bad thing. In fact, it's pretty freakin' great. It's especially great because they keep making variations of banana bread. It's as if Alexis has figured out that "rules" don't exist when it comes to baking. Wooo! She starts with a basic recipe and then throws a bunch of random stuff in. It's pretty amazing, especially because she found her way to s'mores. S'MORES, YOU GUYS.

S'mores Banana Bread

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray the bottom of a 9"x5" bread pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

2. Mix together the sugar and butter at low speed until creamy. Add the eggs and beat some more. Then add the bananas, milk, and vanilla. Mix away.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.

4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar and butter mixture while mixing.

5. Grab 1/2 cup graham crackers, the chocolate chips, and the mini marshmallows. Dump them in the bowl with your banana bread and then gently fold them in.

6. Pour the bread mixture into the bread pan. I know you still have 1/2 cup graham crackers left, and now is when you are going to need them. After you spread the bread mixture in the pan, top it with the remaining graham cracker crumbs.

7. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting.