Cinnamon Banana Walnut Loaf

Oooook.

So most really great recipes start with a basic recipe and someone says "Hey, what if I do this?  And add this?"  and then it turns into something fantastic.  If I have learned anything from my father and grandmother about cooking or baking it's to never follow a recipe to the "T".  I know that sounds really scary; but it is also so much fun because everything you make is unique to you.  Of course you may make more mistakes; but how else are you going to learn?!?

So today I took a recipe for banana-nut loaf that I have found in a wonderful bread book The Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Bread Cook Book and sort of transformed it into something more my own.

Here is the original recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup mashed banana
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Now, when I looked at this recipe, I saw A LOT of potential!  Granted, this recipe would be tastey just the way it says; but being the person I am, I can't make it that way!  A few things that I will change right off the bat is I will replace half of the shortening with butter!  The butter adds a sweet and salty flavor and a more creamy texture to baked goods.  Another thing I will do is replace half of the sugar and with honey.  Replacing some of the sugar with honey gives it a more natural and subtle sweetness that I just love.  The next thing I will do is add cinnamon to the recipe.  Cinnamon goes great with banana and honey.  The final thing I will do is add more nuts because they never call for enough in my opinion!

Here is my recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Sift these ingredients together in a bowl *Make sure it is all a fine powder. You don't want any chunks of baking powder in there!*

In a separate bowl:
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter (half stick)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 TB milk
Cream these ingredients together until they resemble whipped butter.

Then add:
2 eggs
Beat this well!

Then you will alternate adding:
2 bananas well mashed
the dry ingredients
*Make sure you are mixing in these ingredients well!  The batter should be smooth before you add more.*

After this is smooth, your batter should not be liquidy, rather, it should be very soft and sticky.  Then you  are going to add
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Stir it together and scoop it into a 9x5x3 baking dish and bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

I want to publish a photo.  I have one.  I have just lost my usb cable to my camera.  I will get another one and when I do, a picture of this will be posted!
For now, you will just have to let me know how it turns out for you!

Let us talk basic kneeds!