What's Cooking with Jean
Friday, August 21, 2009 Mark Bittman's Banana Bread


Yes, yes, I know. The rage is Julia Child. I did love the movie. But this cookbook has simplified my life in the kitchen and kept my love affair with food alive. Oddly enough, it was dwindling. Blame it on a newborn, hormones or this city. You can thank my sister.

Even though it doesn't have yogurt OR buttermilk, I present to you my new favorite banana bread recipe.

Mark Bittman’s Banana Bread

8 tablespoons butter, plus some for greasing the pan (I suggest unsalted)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 sugar
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 grated dried unsweetened coconut


Preheat the overn to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Cream the butter and beat in the eggs and bananas (I just used a whisk). Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients; do not mix more than necessary. Gently stir in the vanilla, nuts, and coconut.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until nicely browned. A toothpick inserted in the center of the bread will come out fairly clean, but banana bread is excessively moist compared to other breads. Do not overcook.

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Saturday, December 13, 2008 Cookbooks for Christmas

While I love the internet and blogs, nothing beats a good cookbook in your hand. I love sitting down in front of my shelf of cookbooks and looking through for ideas. Plus, you don't use more printer paper at your desk! Forget how to best bake a potato? Pull out the Better Homes and Garden standard. Need a casserole? Turn to the good ole church cookbooks from the South. Cooking your first Thanksgiving turkey? Let Julia Child hold your hand through the process. So, if you're wanting to make a wish list of great cookbooks that someone could buy you for Christmas, here are a few that I would suggest!

The Best of BetterBaking
This is an awesome cookbook for anyone who loves to bake. I think my husband went off of a hint from his mom who suggested this book one Christmas. I especially like the section that suggests best flours, cooking gadgets, and fun suggestions.

Any Julia Child
If you pass a rare and used bookstore, stop by and browse the cooking section. I've found some great, old cookbooks there. I found an old copy of From Julia Child's Kitchen on our honeymoon in Maine, and it is becoming a favorite. Even though I had grandmothers and a mother who taught me so much about cooking, you can feel mothered by the voice of Julia Child in any of her books.

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
A great present for newlyweds, or so my sister seemed to think. She says she uses it all the time.

Priceless, old family recipes
Sitting around at Christmas wondering what to talk about with your family? Take the opportunity to sit down with a grandparent and copy an old recipe. Don't let a blog take the place of their handwriting and years of tested recipes.

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Sunday, February 24, 2008 Talking with My Mouth Full


For all of you out there who have been struggling with this flu going around, I joined your company this week. The lingering sick has provided time for me to quickly plan for our trip that we leave for on Thursday, as well as finally read this book by someone from our neighborhood.

A year ago, my mother-in-law asked if this was indeed the neighborhood where we lived, after she read the book from her local library. The book is not only great press for our neighborhood ("it is very much like a village within the city"), but the recipes and words surround them are beautiful reminding me why i love this thing we called food.

From one of my favorite chapters, "An Ode to Toast"
There is an innocence and purity about toast that you turn to in times of need. You smell toast and you feel better. Let it snow. Let it get dark at 4:30. You're in a warm house, wearing fuzzy slippers and a flannel nightgown, and you're making toast. If you're really lucky, you have a shaker filled with cinnamon and sugar.

if you want her amazing recipe for "Toast," you'll have to buy the book. For now, I need to return this borrowed copy to my dear friend.

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