Becca's Amazing Banana Bread Recipe

Dry Ingredients

2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
*1/2 cups brown sugar

Wet Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
2 large eggs
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3-5, depending on the size - the best bananas are those just on the brink of going rotten)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 TBL vanilla

Streusel Nut Topping

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup plain flour
1 block softened butter
2/3 cup chopped almonds (optional)

0. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
1. Grease (and optionally flour) 3 small loaf pans or 2 larger ones.
2. Stir & toss together dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) then set it aside.
3. In a large bowl combine the wet ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs and bananas) until well blended.
4. Add the combined dry ingredients with a hand mixer until batter is thoroughly blended.
5. Pour into loaf pans (or muffin tins).
6. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and flour. Then using your hands or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If you want, stir in the almonds. Sprinkle this on top of the loaves or muffins before baking.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 350˚F for 55-65 minutes for loaf pans, 15-20 minutes for muffins.
8. Check center for doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it's ready. Remove from oven then let cool for 5 minutes before inverting.

Baked Salmon with Brown Sugar and Soy Sauce

This recipe is one of my favorites to make when I have the money to buy salmon from Costco. I like to make it for dinner groups or other formal social events. Thanks goes to my mom for sending me the written recipe.

Serves two.

1 lb. salmon fillet, rinsed and patted dry

1/4 cup butter, melted

6 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 green onions, chopped

Pam spray or olive oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse and pat dry salmon. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with Pam or lightly coat with olive oil. Place salmon skin side up. Bake in 325 degree oven for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in small microwaveable bowl, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and soy sauce, mixing until well blended. After 12 minutes, remove salmon from oven. Remove the skin (it will come off easily) and turn the fillet over. With a large spoon, spread brown sugar sauce completely over salmon. Return salmon to oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes. Spoon some of the brown sugar sauce back up on the salmon and place under the broiler for 2 minutes to caramelize. Top with chopped green onions.

*This recipe is one that my mom adapted from Don Ryther, Salmon Expert.