Cooking with Kids- Banana Bread

The boys love helping me in the kitchen and it takes twice as long and makes three times the mess! We did a fair amount of cooking together this summer. Here is a photo of us peeling apples for an English apple tart. 

We also made bread stick snakes. The boys had a great time sprinkling herbs on them, using scissors to cut scales, and giving them pumpkin seed eyes.

Today we made banana bread and muffins. Banana bread is the best use of over ripe fruit I know. It is also a great use of halves of bananas left over when someone in the house (William) asks for bananas but rarely finishes them. I keep a plastic bag in the freezer and when it gets full I make banana bread. To crush the bananas, simply allow them to thaw in the bag and then squeeze. I forgot to take photos because we used the mixer and when we use the mixer, I'm always afraid that fingers or utensils will get cut in half! 

Banana Bread

1/2 cup Shortening 
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
3 Bananas (crushed)
2 cups Plain Flour
1 tsp. bread soda
1/2  cup Chopped Nuts or Chocolate Chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 190C (350F). Cream butter and sugar together in large mixing bowl. Add eggs and then bananas. Mix until well combined. Finally combine flour and soda. Stir in nuts or chips if you are using them. Grease and flour pans. Bake for 45- 50 minutes for one large, 35 minutes for two small, 20 minutes for 12 medium muffins. Enjoy!