I have made this bread twice now and made quite a few changes to suit my little family. Hope you like it (you might also like the original which came from a big supermarket brochure). We don't like too much spice in our bread and this was a good way to use up a few black bananas.

Spicy Banana Bread

Ingredients
20g sugar
7g (2 ts) yeast
2 large over ripe bananas broken up
1 egg
50g softened butter
60ml warm water

525g bread flour (I used Spelt)
1 ts mixed spice
Pinch salt (not in original recipe)
160g mixed dried fruit of your choice (I used sultanas and peel this time)
Method
1.   Put sugar, yeast, banana, egg, water and butter into Thermomix and mix for 5 seconds, speed 5–6 or until combined.
2.   Add dry ingredients, except fruit, and knead for 2 minutes; add fruit and knead a further minute or until fruit combined.
3.   Place in greased bowl (or leave in Thermomix bowl), cover with cling wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
4.   When double punch down and shape to fit your bread tin. Leave to rise again until it reaches the top of the tin.
5.   Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes; remove tin and bake on rack for a further 6 minutes at 180°. All ovens are different so keep a watch.

A request was made for paleo recipes so here is one of two cakes I make for DS.

Ingredients
250g - 2 medium ripe banana
50g honey
1tsp vanilla
50g butter or coconut oil (I used butter)
60g unsweetened applesauce (I made in tmx)
4 eggs (200g)
55g coconut flour …..
50g almond meal (I used 50g almonds)
3/4 tsp baking soda

Method
1.   Preheat your oven to 170°C.
2.   Grease and line a small loaf tin 21cm x 7.5cm deep loaf tin and set aside.
3.   Grind almonds if not using almond meal. No need to wash bowl afterwards.
4.   Add bananas to TMX bowl and mash and then add in your honey, vanilla, melted butter/coconut oil, applesauce and eggs and mix for a few seconds to combine.
5.   Mix in your coconut flour, baking soda and almond meal for a few seconds at speed 3 and allow to sit for two minutes. The mix will look really runny at first, but the coconut flour will soon absorb the liquid and form a thicker batter. If your mix is extremely liquidy, add in coconut flour one teaspoon at a time. 
6.   Pour your mixture into your prepared loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes to an hour (keep an eye on it - cooking times will depend on your pan size) or until your loaf is cooked through and a skewer inserted into the middle removes clean.
7.   Allow to cool completely before slicing.
8.   We find this banana bread keeps best in a sealed container in the refrigerator and it will keep for up to a week. You can also freeze the slices by wrapping the slices individually and storing them in a sealed zip lock bag in the freezer.
9.   You could put frosting on but we preferred it plain; maybe a little butter on the slices.

I read an article recently about preventing bananas getting ripe before you want them to. I end up with too many in the freezer. When your banana is ripe wrap it in newspaper and put in the fridge. I tested it out this week, wrapping them individually and they have kept firm all week; DH has one every morning with breakfast and now I only have to buy them once a week. It really works.

This salad was a nice change from the usual Waldorf; I had already made the Spiced Orange Cranberry sauce for our Christmas lunch so had it in the fridge. Will make again. This sauce is nice to have handy to use on any cold meat or just on good bread.

Linked JD

Had my first try at making Pav in the tmx. Did the vinegar clean as the recipe says and it whipped up well. Pav looked good when cooked but was a bit hollow in the middle, however, when topped with cream and fruit it was well received. Will try again; I am used to making the one with the marshmallow type centre.

Linked JD

Just made Spiced Orange Cranberry Jelly from this book and am very happy with it. I only used 100g of sugar and 1 star anise and no Port but it still turned out very nice.

Linked JD

I have made this cake a few times now and we have always enjoyed it.

Cranberry Walnut Bread (sourdough)

Ingredients
˝ cup dried cranberries
˝ cup (160g) boiling water
4TB (60g) butter
˝ cup (120g) honey
˝ cup (70g) brown sugar
1 egg
1ts vanilla
1 cup (240g) sourdough starter
1 ˝ cups (190g) plain flour (or whole wheat)
1ts baking soda
˝ ts baking powder
˝ ts salt
˝ ts cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (180g)

Method
1.   Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 5 x 9inch loaf tin.
2.   Pour boiling water over cranberries in  .
3.   Add butter and stir 2 mins.  speed 1.5 or until butter is melted.
4.   Add honey, brown sugar, egg, vanilla and sourdough starter and stir 1.5 mins.  speed 2.
5.   Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and stir 1 mins.  speed 2. You may have to use the spatula to stir in the last bits of flour.
6.   Add to baking tin and bake for 60 minutes or until cooked.
7.   Cool for 5 minutes and then turn out of pan.

Enjoy

This is one of the few slices I have had success with; I usually make biscuits. The recipe came from a Woolies supermarket brochure and we all enjoy it here.

CHEWY FRUIT AND NUT SLICE
Ingredients
1 ˝ cups rolled oats (140g)
200g chopped fruit salad (dried)
˝ cup chopped nuts
˝ cup honey (160g)
1 ts vanilla
1 Tb oil
˝ cup crunchy peanut butter (120g)
1/3 cup flour (approx)

Method

1.   Preheat oven to 180c.
2.   Line and grease slab tin.
3.   Turbo dried fruit a few times if whole and add nuts at end but don’t overdo.
4.   Place honey, vanilla, oil and peanut butter in Thermomix and cook for 3 mins, 70°, speed 3 or until melted.
5.   Add remaining ingredients and mix on Interval for 10–20 seconds until mixed.
6.   Press into prepared tray.
7.   Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and firm to touch.
8.   Allow to cool completely in tin.
9.   Cut into squares with serrated knife.