PB&J Banana Bread

Look at that beauty, how enticing is it?  Banana bread is one of the easiest homemade treats one can make, anytime.  

I've these few ripe, soft bananas on my fruit bowl.  I asked my husband what kind of banana bread he would like to have and his answer was "with peanut butter."  I remembered seeing this recipe in my magazine collection so here it is.  The strawberry jam is homemade as well, in fact, very soon I have to make a batch of it again.  June is coming and strawberry season will be here.

Make sure that you watch the streusel topping while it's being baked.  I covered it loosely with foil about 20 minutes before baking time ends, just to make sure the peanuts aren't over baked and bitter.

I like to chase its morsels with a cup of cold chocolate milk and if you like peanut butter and jam with your banana bread, this is a recipe for you!

PB&J Banana Bread

Makes 16 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon ground ginger

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ cups mashed bananas (4 to 5 medium)

1 cup sugar

½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup chopped peanuts

⅓ cup strawberry preserves

1 recipe Streusel-Nut Topping, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, mashed bananas, sugar, oil, and peanut butter.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).  Fold in peanuts.  Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading evenly.  Drizzle with ¼ cup of the strawberry preserves; swirl slightly to marble.  If desired, sprinkle with Streusel-Nut Topping.

Bake about 60-70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Wrap and store overnight.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the remaining strawberry preserves on 100 percent power (high) for 15 to 20 seconds or until melted, snipping any large pieces of fruit.  Drizzle melted preserves over the top of bread before slicing.

Streusel-Nut Topping:  In a small bowl stir together 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.  Using a pastry blender, cut in 4 teaspoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in ¼ cup chopped peanuts.

Source:  adapted from Better Homes and Garden Fall Baking 2013