Banana nut bread...in a different way

Banana bread is a type of bread that contains mashed yellow bananas. Banana bread is usually a quick bread: usually a sweet, cake-like bread which typically uses baking soda as the leavening agent instead of yeast. Banana bread first became a standard feature of American cookbooks with the popularization of baking soda and baking powder in the 1930s - Wikipedia.
My association with Banana nut bread has been from childhood. Even though my origins are not American, my version of Banana nut bread is strikingly different.
We used to have tons of bananas which no one would touch for days and then what was mom to do with overripe bananas? That was the most efficient way to use them up and also make sure all got their serving of fruit with some hot tea.
I tried different versions of the bread and let me show you a few pictures.

My first recipe - Pear and Maple Bread Pudding

Food is such an important part of our life.....whether we like food or not....
My attempt is to make food consumption a little more interesting. It's not just by trying new recipes, it is the cooking process, the heat, how long it remains in the oven, maybe a little more sugar or maybe a little pinch of salt to add that punch........all these nuances matter!

I'll start of with a new recipe I tried -a twist on the original
Pear and Maple Bread Pudding I tried at the Pear Tree Cafe (I think it shut shop in 2007 but the owner was kind to pass on the recipe).
I must admit I am quite an avid learner in baking. It is an art something I keep striving the perfect. You get the temperature wrong, you get the proportions wrong, it all messes up. But you got to keep on trying. It helps when you have some guinea-pigs at home :) We tried this pudding and I fell in love with it immediately. I rarely try puddings as most of the time, they're either mushy or hard or just no right. This one was sweeter than I expected but the crunch and crisp was so right!!!
My twist - I added 2 apples and 2 pears instead of 4 pears and kept the skins on....it added some color to the pudding. Also, instead of maple syrup I added honey and reduced the sugar content in it. I like desserts but just right on the sweetness....not too much of it.
And it turned pretty good!

Yummy....in my thoughts!

I wonder how do I get these dishes I create on my blog....
Do I make a recipe blog........naaah!!!!!!!! Too many people do that!!!!
Do I give my experience about it...hmmm that sounds more like it.
A lot of these recipes I try are very routine....mundane...with a dash of my interesting ingredients in it!!!
So maybe my take over the recipe is more someone would like to read.....

Yummy in my thoughts............. it is!!!!

A new beginning!

It's been quite a while since I've blogged....well Aug to Nov was blank on my side...that does not say good things about being a dedicated blogger I suppose!
Well, I've been busy....hmmm a little lazy too.
Been wondering where to drive this blog to?????
I guess I should be driving the blog to wherever it takes me...good to reflect and see what I do in the months passing by.... :-)

So what have I been doing????
I have been very actively cooking - searching for innovative recipes like a million others and creating my own!
I have also been taking pictures.....but that can be talked as a separate blog altogether!!!

Picture it!!!

I love photography...it has been a passion of mine for the longest time. I am surprised how I did not turn it into a career!!! I am at times, called a "photo-maniac"!!! I can carry a camera/camcorder anywhere!!!!
But eventually what matters is a great picture and even greater memories! Me being a stickler for perfection, a lot of hours are gone in mindless editing and archiving but this is one thing I really enjoy :)
Being so far away from home gave me more opportunities and reasons to take pictures so that I'd share with family, friends, etc.
The turning point was the birth of my daughter. It upset me that family wasn't here to witness her development...well they missed the important landmarks and photos were the only way to maintain that communication with them.
Photos are a great way to see how far along you've come. The different phases of life never seem to amaze me....it's a great way to bond and bring family together. My dad is a great photo-lover but in those times things weren't accessible and were expensive too. Digital photography is so accessible - it lets you make mistakes - that's the best part! Kudos to technology!

My first-ever blog!

Hello everyone!
Yet another blog by one more person amongst millions in this virtual world!
For those who would be interested in what makes this blog special????
It's about a woman who is in transition in her life (I guess we all are!!) -
as a dynamic and a new-generation mom,
as a career woman,
as an innovative cook,
as a person always looking for a vent to creativity
as a writer,
as an observer in crowds,
as a person who has fun....in her own quiet way!!
Hope I have fun blogging and you reading it!!!