fof: banana blueberry bread

We are up to our ears in blueberries here. This was what followed me home from Hammonton yesterday:

Your eyes don't deceive you: three pints are already missing. One didn't even make it home. It was devoured at the picnic we had at Batsto Village after we picked up the berries. (Unfortunately we had Dusty with us, so we couldn't make a proper tour of the village; next year!)

I decided time was of the essence and started getting the berries ready to freeze. A little online research suggested the best method was to wash the berries, lay them out to dry, and then put them in gallon freezer bags. If they were perfectly dry when put in the bags, they (supposedly) will stay loose for easier use later.

So today I spent a good chunk of time washing and drying berries. The beautiful temperate weather we are enjoying right now was perfect for this task!

All these blueberries put me in mind of our favorite way to use blueberries. I never had banana blueberry bread before my friend Marta brought it to me in the hospital after I had Terzo. It was a very welcome and thoughtful gift, nice and sweet and hearty, just the ticket when I was hungry all the time thanks to my body kicking into milk production mode.

And what else are you supposed to do when life hands you almost-rotten bananas?

Based upon the recipe for Quick Banana Bread from an older edition of The Joy of Cooking, but you could just add blueberries to your favorite banana bread recipe:

Banana Blueberry Bread
5 T butter
2/3 C sugar
1/2 t lemon juice
1 C white flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour
2 and 1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
two black bananas, crushed with a fork
3/4 C or so fresh or frozen blueberries

Blend together butter, sugar and lemon juice until creamy.

In separate bowl, mix flours, baking powder and salt.

Break eggs into butter/sugar mixture, and beat until mixed well (scrape down sides of bowl if necessary). Add crushed bananas to wet mixture and mix in gently.

Pour flour mixture in, dividing into three portions or so to add.

Once the mixture is well blended, add your blueberries. Stir in gently so the blueberries don't break apart and make purple mush bread.

Bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees F for about an hour, or until toothpick comes out clean (though my boys prefer it slightly underdone in the middle).

Just out of the pan:

Not too long thereafter: