The Banana.com Blog » Banana Recipes http://banana.com/blog The Banana.com Blog - Everything About Bananas Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:40:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Today, February 23rd, is National Banana Bread Day http://banana.com/blog/2009/02/23/today-february-23-is-national-banana-bread-day/ http://banana.com/blog/2009/02/23/today-february-23-is-national-banana-bread-day/#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:13:44 +0000 David Castello http://banana.com/blog/?p=75 No kidding, today is National Banana Bread Day and it seems that everyone has their favorite recipe.  Here’s ours courtesy of Banana.com.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped
3 ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 tablespoons butter, melted then cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
Combine dry ingredients together in large bowl and set aside.
Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with wooden spoon in medium bowl.
Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan; bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for 4 days, on the counter for 2 days.

]]> http://banana.com/blog/2009/02/23/today-february-23-is-national-banana-bread-day/feed/ 3 The History of the Banana Split http://banana.com/blog/2008/12/26/the-history-of-the-banana-split/ http://banana.com/blog/2008/12/26/the-history-of-the-banana-split/#comments Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:48:43 +0000 David Castello http://banana.com/blog/?p=46 bananasplitOne of the most popular desserts in America, the Banana Split was invented by David Evans Strickler, a 23-year-old apprentice pharmacist at Tassel Pharmacy in Latrobe, Pennsylvania (also famous as the birthplace of Rolling Rock beer) in 1904.  Strickler created his Banana Split with three scoops of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate and strawberry) on a halved banana topped off with chocolate, marshmallow, nuts, whipped cream, and a cherry (he also commissioned a local glass company to create a long, narrow dish to accommodate a banana).  The price for the Banana Split triple sundae was 10 cents, twice the price of other sundaes, but it immediately became popular with students of Saint Vincent College.  News of the sundae spread regionally and Strickler eventually bought the pharmacy, renaming it Strickler’s Pharmacy.

Wilmington, Ohio also claims their city as the birthplace of the Banana Split. In 1907, restaurant owner Ernest Hazard staged an employee contest to create a new sundae to attract students from nearby Wilmington College.  Employee creativity was low and Hazard ended up splitting a banana lengthwise and piling ice cream on top with whipped cream, sliced strawberries, crushed nuts, shaved chocolate, and a maraschino cherry.  Wilmington celebrates Hazard’s concoction every June with a Banana Split Festival.

Much credit for the national popularity of the Banana Split goes to Walgreen’s drug stores.  Founder Charles Rudolph Walgreen adopted the Banana Split as the chain’s signature dessert in the late 1920’s.

Traditional Banana Split Recipe:
1/2 cup scoop vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup scoop chocolate ice cream
1/2 cup scoop strawberry ice cream
1 large ripe banana
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (or Hot Fudge)
2 tablespoons strawberry ice cream topping (or fresh strawberries)
2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons wet walnut ice cream topping
whipped cream
cherries

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