BANANA BREAD TEA SANDWICHES

CREAM CHEESE BANANA BREAD

with PECAN CRUMBLE

Southern Living

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium)

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Pecan Crumble:

(I usually double the crumble ingredients

to make sure I have enough!)

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon melted butter 

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 

until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add

eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, 

beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans and

vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4-inch loaf pans.

(use light colored loaf pans if possible - dark pans may over-brown)

Stir together brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, 1 tablespoon flour, 1

tablespoon melted butter and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly

over batter.

Bake at 350º for one hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in

center comes out clean. (I usually just lightly press the tops and if

they spring back, then they're ready.)  If you find that the banana

bread is browning too quickly, you can shield with aluminum foil

the last 15 minutes. Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.

Remove from pans and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before 

slicing.

BANANA NUT BREAD TEA SANDWICHES

1 loaf Banana Bread, sliced into 1/2"-3/4" slices

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the Banana Bread slices on a baking sheet. Using 

a cookie cutter, cut out as many shapes as possible from

the slices. (Or just trim crusts off and cut slices into

halves or quarters.)

Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and cinnamon

together until light and fluffy. Place mixture into a

disposable piping bag fitted with a star tip (or just 

spread mixture using a butter knife.)  Pipe or

spread half the shapes with cream cheese 

mixture, then top with remaining halves. 

Cover and refrigerate until needed.