I'm on a gingerbread kick!  Today I was reading in "Beautiful Places, Spiritual Spaces" about making a house a home.  The authors suggest baking something nice smelling (what baking isn't?) before your family comes home.  I thought about it.  I often plan my bread baking days so the hot bread comes out of the oven about half an hour before Paul comes in the door.  He loves it! 

But I didn't want to bake bread today. 

Instead I was feeling adventurous.  I wanted a new recipe.  A low fat, low sugar recipe.  A carb recipe, but good carbs.  I pulled out Sandra Woodruff's "Secrets of Fat-Free Baking".  I cruised my freezer looking for atrophying fruit.  Yep, there they were...two bags of frozen bananas a little brown on the edges.  I was thinking Banana Loaf, but when "Secrets of Fat-Free Baking" turned up a recipe for Banana Gingerbread, I couldn't resist!  So my house now smells like Banana Gingerbread, which is still in the oven.  And oh my!  Am I done for on this one!  If it tastes a fraction as good as it smells, I'll be in Heaven!  I'll take pics when it's done...and maybe include the recipe...with my variations (I can never follow the recipe exactly...I think it's in my genes). 

I am big on making things a bit easier for Paul right now.  Things are tough at work and he'll have to work ten days straight before his next day off.  Mostly due to sick staff.  I worry about his health.  If a little baking will make him feel better, I'm all for it!  I'm already plotting the next week...



Banana Gingerbread

1 c. white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c. mashed very ripe bananas
1/4 c. molasses

Combine dry ingredients and stir to mix well.  Combine liquid ingredients and the stir into dry.  Pour into greased 8 x 4" loaf pan and bake at 325 F for 40 minutes, or till it smells done (toothpick comes out clean).  Let sit in pan for 10 minutes before trying to remove it.  Turn upside down and it should fall right out.  DH and I like this served warm with Lemon Sauce.

Lemon Sauce

1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. water

Mix together and cook in top of double boiler till thickened.  Add:

2-3 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

Stir till everything is well mixed.  Drizzle over the gingerbread.  Make a pool around it too.  Yum!