A day off for baking?

I feel like this just might become a routine for me. No, not the post once and come back a year later thing. Baking on a day off or better yet...cooking on a day off. I work in a field that I actually have a passion for. Yes, I am  one of those few that can say that I am doing what I have a passion for and get paid to do it. I am an assistant pastry chef. I get to do all the fun things without the added drama of emails and food costs. I bake, create, and design full time. The downside of it is that I don't do much of it at home for enjoyment. This is something that I used to do. I get home and I normally slump over on my bed. A quick dinner is thrown together, indulge in some television, then get ready for the next day. One rainy day, I decided to just bake. The laundry was done and the apartment was clean. It was time to do something I love. Thus comes my first treat of enjoyment baking.........


Banana Bread with Cinnamon Streusel Topping


Batter:


3-4 ripe bananas
1/3 cup unsalted butter,melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Cinnamon streusel topping:


1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter,cold and cut into small chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F


To make the streusel topping:
1. Combine the flour, cinnamon,and brown sugar in a bowl.
2. Use your hand to mix the chunks of butter in the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.

For the batter:
1. In a medium bowl, smash bananas with a fork until no large chunks are left. Mix in the melted butter.
2. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. Add the flour,salt, and baking soda and stir just until combined.
4. Pour into a prepared loaf pan or prepared muffin tins.
5. Sprinkle streusel topping on top and bake 1 hour for a loaf pan or 18-20 mins for muffins.

Makes one loaf or 10 muffins.