Virginia Street Banana Bread ~ A Second Place Winner!

I just love going to the fair to see all of the exhibits. I like to get there as soon as the doors open so I can see everything before flowers start wilting and baked goods start spoiling. Some items spoil so badly, they have to be thrown out. This is a banana bread recipe that I found here ...

http://veronicascornucopia.com/?s=banana+bread 
It won second place!

Virginia Street Banana Bread

1-1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas

1 tablespoon melted  butter, divided

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulaed sugar plus 1-2 teaspoons divided

1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted and divided

~ Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

~ Grease a 9x 5-inch loaf pan, set aside.

~ In a large bowl, mix bananas, 1 teaspoon butter, oil, eggs anf vanilla until mixed well

~ In a medium bowl, combine flour sugar, cinnamon, baking soda,and salt. Mix well.

~ Add the flour mixture and mix until just blended.

~ Stir in the toasted nuts, reserving some for the top of the bread.

~ Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

~ Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

~ Remove from oven. Allow bread to cool in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes.

~ Remove bread from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

~ Wrap loaf very well in plastic wrap.

~ The flavor of this bread improves a day after baking.

Recipe Source: Veronica's Cornucopia

Blue Ribbon Recipe ~ Strawberry Muffins with Strawberry Butter

Here are the strawberry muffins with the strawberry butter that my twin sister prepared for the 2012 King Arthur Flour Muffin Baking contest at our local fair. She won the first place blue ribbon and a $75 gift card from King Arthur Flour. This recipe comes from Bobby of blogchef.net. He was kind enough to allow me to  post this recipe on my blog, using my own photos. Visit his blog, he has some wonderful recipes. Thanks Bobby, for allowing me to share your now, blue ribbon recipe!

Strawberry Muffins with Strawberry Butter

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped and lightly tossed in 2 tablespoons of flour
Streusel
¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Strawberry Butter
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup fresh strawberries, chopped
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, powdered sugar
¼ cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

~ Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. and grease the bottom and sides of 18 muffin tin cups. Mix together all ingredients for the streusel and set aside. 
~ For the muffins mix together 1 ¾ cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons baking powder.
~ In a separate bowl mix ½ cup milk, ½ cup melted butter, 2 beaten eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Gently mix this mixture into the flour mixture. Do not over mix. Fold in lightly floured chopped strawberries.

~ Pour muffin batter into your tins and top with the streusel mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Test with a toothpick for doneness.

~ Allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan or else they will stick. Finish cooling muffins on a wire rack.

~ For the strawberry butter thoroughly mix ½ cup butter and 1 cup powdered sugar. Fold in chopped strawberries and toasted pecans. Chill until needed and soften before serving. Enjoy the strawberry butter with the warm strawberry muffins. 

               * Recipe Source : Blog Chef *