Ye Olde Banana Bread (Mark Bittman) for Recital

OK, he doesn't call it Ye Olde, but it's a chestnut. We like this recipe (but Daddy likes the West Indian recipe for bread machine even better).

1 stick butter
3 old bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 1/2 C white flour
1/2 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/2 C coconut
(1/2 C pecans or walnuts--we left this out because Maggie refused to even take a bite with nuts!)

Cream butter (we used the mixer). Add bananas and eggs. In separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add wet to dry (we added 1/2 wet to dry and then put the whole thing in the wet bowl--it was bigger). After mixed just until wet, add coconut and vanilla (and nuts, if you're using them).

Bake 350 45-60 min in a 9x5 bread pan. Toothpick should come out clean.

Orange Applesauce Cupcakes

We made these for Ella's Easter-time birthday party. We added mini chocolate chips (Maggie's idea). We colored the frosting in three batches: purple, sherbet orange, light green. Yummy but they seem like muffins rather than cupcakes. Not that that's a bad thing.

Orange Applesauce Cupcakes (full credit to the website Taste of Home)

ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 
  FROSTING:
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 2 to 4 teaspoons orange juice

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in applesauce, vanilla and orange peel. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For frosting, in a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Add orange peel and enough orange juice to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Yield: 1 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 315 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 43 mg cholesterol, 267 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.