Let the Blogging Begin

I thought long and hard about what to make for my first blog. It had to be something special, something to look back at years from now, when I'm a famous food blogger and have millions of followers. What could I make to launch a career like this?

I know your mind is racing through all the possibilities. Obviously it has to be a baked good, since my cooking skills are somewhat lacking currently. But would it be cookies or pie? Cake or bread? Maybe a specialty ice cream?

So what did I make?

Coco-Nana Bread.

That's right folks. For my introduction to blogging, I give you my old, rotting, browning bananas. Those things on the counter that everyone avoids and hopes will just go away so you don't have to deal with the guilt of letting good food go bad.

I adapted the recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours, page 46. I have to say "adapted" because I realized within about 2 minutes that I didn't have a whole lot of supplies to work with. A half a cup of the flour required is whole wheat flour because I ran out of flour. And the cocoa powder is a little less than called for because I ran out of cocoa powder. And I never have buttermilk on hand, so I made my own substitute by using a teaspoon of vinegar and filling the cup the rest of the way with milk. Hey, it's what I had.

In my ongoing warfare with my oven, I still haven't been able to produce a full loaf of anything, be it bread or cake. So I did a dozen regular sized muffins and 2 dozen mini muffins.

For all my substitutions and a crotchety oven, I think they turned out pretty tasty. I'll know better when my roommate/resident taste tester comes home tonight and tries them. The rest will go to the office with me, and maybe some to my hairdresser when I get my haircut tomorrow.