Banana Bread with Cream Cheese

One of my favorite breakfast / brunch foods, Banana Bread with Cream Cheese is a simple but often ignored a.m. possibility. I first had in Macon, Georgia, when I worked as a special events planner. Our caterers made it a lot, and after more than three years of eating it, I was never sad to see it on a morning buffet. I have no idea what recipe those chefs used, but here's the one I developed over the years. A purest at heart, I like to serve it with plain, whipped cream cheese. For variety, try on of the flavored varieties such as pineapple, strawberry, or cinnamon swirl, or blend your own flavor. I like to make little finger sandwiches with the cream cheese and arrange them on a pretty platter with seasonal fruit. How ever you serve this dish, your guests will surely go bananas!

Banana Bread with Cream Cheese
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 c. sugar (or 1/2c. sugar and 1/2 c. Splenda)
2 eggs
1 c. mashed bananas (very ripe, if possible)
1/2 c. plain yogurt (full fat work best; you can substitute sour cream if necessary)
1 t. vanilla extract
1/3 c. raisins or dried cranberries
2/3 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a loaf pan or a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk or fork to break up any lumps. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Stir in bananas and yogurt. Add vanilla. Stir in raisins / craisins and nuts. Spread into prepared pan and bake until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour depending oven and type of pan. Watch carefully so you don't over bake.

Serving suggestion: slice into finger sandwich-size pieces, and make sandwiches with whipped or flavored cream cheese.