Blueberry Banana Bread

Well, with me actually starting to get out of the house more often, I haven't really had the opportunity to bake to much. For most of my summer, a lot of people I know are usually busy with work or family, and just haven't really had to time to really get out of the house to go do something. Hang out. But for these past few weeks, they have. And be really craving to get out of the house, I didn't stop to jump up and get out.

We actually went and saw the Dark Knight movie. I've seen it twice already. It was an amazing movie and Heath Ledger did and awesome job. I've always been a huge fan of Heath ever since I saw him in one of my favorite movies, '10 Things I hate about you.' I've been obsessed with him since. It's sad though. That someone who held so much potentially and really had something going for him (and only just starting to really hit big on his acting career) had to die only on a accidental use on prescription drugs. I'm really interested to see his very last movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Should be interesting.

Anyways, aside from that, When I did have the time to bake, I knew what it was I wanted to make. Banana bread. Hadn't had it in awhile and I was really craving it. We had leftover blueberries and I thought it might add some interesting flavor. And it did. I really liked it. With the cinnamon in it, it made everything seem right together. Was such a yummy breakfast.

Recipe

Bread

1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained, or frozen blueberries
2 cups plus one tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg

Oatmeal Streusel

1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon


1. Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, gently mix blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour.

2. In another bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a another large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, buttermilk, butter, and egg to blend. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until evenly moistened; the batter will be stiff. Gently stir in blueberry mixture.

3. Spread batter level in a buttered 5- by 9-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with oatmeal streusel and press in lightly.

4. To make the oatmeal streusel, in a small bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, packed brown sugar and butter, cut into chunks. Add ground cinnamon. Mix with your fingers until fine crumbs form.

5. Bake bread in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Let bread cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert bread onto a plate, remove pan, and turn over onto rack to cool completely, about 45 minutes.