Thrifty Thursday: A tasty recipe to keep you warm in these frigid times

"What killed the dinosaurs? THE ICE AGE!"

Y'all. It is freaking cold. I'm originally from Michigan, so cold is just a part of life, but lately, it feels like there's a new scheme in the most recent Batman installment, and Mr. Freeze has put all of America in the frigidaire. Welcome, America, to the brutal freezingness of winter that you have escaped for oh so long! Now, I don't know if you've been following the news, but this cold and very little snow in the South has given everyone the cue to LOSE THEIR DAMN MINDS. 

The blizzard of 2014

Now, now. I don't hold any southerners responsible for their reaction to snow. Northerners have had years of training in driving on an ice rink and surviving. We've also learned how to (sometimes) successfully avoid thousands of deer mixed in with all that snow...sometimes not so successfully. My family in Michigan is balking and envious of the south with its 30 degree temperatures and eager for those temperatures to hit Michigan in April, because their wind chill of late has been negative 30. I saw the reaction here in the South and laughed a little bit - poor Southerners who can't drive in snow, bless their hearts...and then I realized my building has NO HEAT WHATSOEVER. 

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WHHHHYYYYYYYY NOTTTTT????

Well, joke's on me. It's so rare for it to get this cold in Nola that lots of buildings have no heat. So that's been fun. 

My solution? Baking, baking, BAKING! Oven equals heater in desperate times. As such, I've begun baking this tasty treat weekly, as the temperature keeps yo-yoing up and down maniacally, and it's hit the 30's, and therefore the 40's in my apartment, several times as of late. 

That tasty treat is a seven ingredient masterpiece in the loaf form of Banana Bread. 

This loaf didn't rise so well, and I learned about the conversion of baking soda to baking powder amounts, but it was still delicious! 

The recipe is simple, and while it may seem pricey if you don't have any of the ingredients, do note that most of the ingredients will last you multiple loaves. I've used the same bags of sugar and flour for the last three loaves and still have enough for one more, and butter usually comes in four sticks, so about $15 of supplies can yield four loaves of bread. Now, I've always been apprehensive of baking, thinking it's much more complex than cooking meals; this recipe, however, doesn't even require a mixer! Here's the recipe: 

2 to 3 ripe bananas

5 tablespoons or 1/3 cup melted butter 

1 egg, beaten

1 cup granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda OR 3 teaspoons baking powder 

pinch of salt, optional

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional, but strongly recommended!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a bowl, mash bananas. I recommend using a potato masher if you have one. 

Mix in melted butter. 

Next, add the beaten egg, sugar and vanilla. Mix well.

Now mix in the baking soda/powder and salt, if desired.

Finally, add the flour and mix well. 

Pour the mixture into a greased 9" X 5" pan. 

Bake for 1 hour.

Now for the hardest part, let sit for at least ten minutes before tearing in! 

I hope you stay warm and toasty, and happy Thursday!