Yeah, But Mine's Crunchy

It's fair week.

Every year, I help my kids bake up something to enter at the fair. My son had success the first year he ever entered. He got first place for his oatmeal-coconut-raisin cookies. He's now become a bit of an oatmeal-cookie snob and insists on making the same thing each year. He's puzzled by the differing results. How can the same recipe that was judged the best last year only be third best this year? Cynicism roots early.

This is my daughter's first year. She's six, highly enthusiastic, and somewhat messy. She's not yet ready for the detailed task of cookie making. She's more of a dump and go kind of girl. Great. So am I.

I've got a killer whole wheat banana-date bread recipe. It's great. Always gets raves. I never even tell people that it is whole wheat. No need for them to adjust their expectations because it's relatively healthy. It's that good. We ground our own dates, for added moistness. And even ground fresh nutmeg -- a secret addition that makes it all her own.

It was all going so well, until . . .

Another stealth ingredient snuck in there.

Egg shell.

Yup, I should have expected this and had her break the eggs into a separate bowl. I know. No need to point this out. I know. She was just so excited about cracking the eggs herself . . . Well, sure enough a big chunk of egg shell went right in. And I couldn't find it for the life of me. I dug and dug in the batter trying to find the dime-sized piece of shell. It seems to have disintegrated. One can only hope.

Perhaps I'll check and see if there is an "Added Calcium" category for the "under 7" sect.

***

In case you're interested, here is the recipe, but I've been sworn to secrecy about the nutmeg.

Banana-Date Whole Wheat Bread
Prep Time = 15 minutes ~~~ Bake Time = 75 minutes, approx.

2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. ripe bananas, mashed (about 4)
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. dates, chopped
2/3 c. plain, nonfat yogurt
2 eggs
1/3 c. canola oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Move oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease bottom only of 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Stir together all ingredients until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool 5 minutes in pan on wire rack.

Remove from pan, continue cooling on rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Store at room temp up to 10 days, as if it will last that long; 10 days in the refrigerator.

You'll thank me, and you're welcome. :)