Keeping the kids happy.

The Casey Anthony trial having brought all kinds of bad, horrible things happening to kids new to the front of my mind, I decided that I wanted to do something good for my kids.  Usually dad doing something good for the kids means making them a tasty breakfast.  With them having to be out the door in a timely manner for science camp today, I wasn't going to have the opportunity to do French Toast, or chocolate chip pancakes...so I decided to whip up some banana nut bread instead. 

A few weeks ago, I suffered a momentary lapse of attention to detail, and picked up a 5 pound bag of whole wheat flour, with an expiration date of October on it.  Wanting to get it used, I searched the internet for a banana bread recipe using whole wheat flour.

I settled on this one...it also had the added somewhat healthy benefit of using honey instead of processed sugar for it's sweetening.  For bananas, I grabbed two out of the freezer about two hours before needing them, and let them thaw, then mashed them with a fork.  Yes...out of the freezer.  SWMBO has started sticking banana's in the freezer a day or two before they are too far gone...she then uses them for her protein shakes, and I have found they work good for banana bread. 

The nuts where the biggest pain in the butt of the recipe.  Wanting to work with what was on hand already, instead of buying some already chopped nuts, I sat down about a 3rd of a pound of hazelnuts we had bought a few weeks ago at the farmers market and commenced a shelling.  After shelling, that 3rd of a pound was barely enough to make it worth while to add to the bread...but I helped out a bit my maybe letting a piece of shell or two slip into the batter(at least I think I bit into a piece of shell this morning). 

The bread came out really good.  Instead of making one big loaf, I used some of the disposable mini-loaf pans.  I have found in the past that when I try making a full sized loaf of banana, or zucchini, or spice bread, it never wants to finish cooking in the middle.  Using these mini-pans solved the problem...I just had to watch them closer while cooking.

The end result was worth it this morning...both girls asked for a 3rd piece, which I was happy to be able to provide them. 

Dad for the win...