Can't seem to get out of the kitchen today . . .

Ever have one of those days when it seems you spend most of it in the kitchen? I love to bake but dislike to cook. This morning DH wanted buttermilk pancakes for breakfast. This is actually my fault as it used to be that DH made breakfast on Sundays. However several months ago I got the hair-brain idea to make buttermilk pancakes from scratch using Alton Brown's recipe (Good Eats on The Food Network). So I made pancakes for DH. I noticed there were a couple bananas left from the bunch I purchased earlier in the week. The only thing they were good for was banana bread. However my recipe calls for 5 to 6 bananas (it makes 4 loaves) and since I only had 3 bananas . . . I remembered a recipe I found in a recent issue of a magazine for Banana Crumb Cake. Since it only called for one cup of mashed bananas, I knew I found my recipe! Luckily I had the ingredients needed on hand. About 30 minutes later, the banana crumb cake was baking in the oven.
I then remembered that my oldest DS wanted macaroni salad with dinner tonight. So after cleaning up the breakfast dishes and the bowls, etc. from the crumb cake, I began making the macaroni salad -- it is rare that either of my sons eat dinner with us so when they make an appearance I usually try to accommodate their requests. Silly me .... about a hour before dinner my oldest DS comes downstairs and asks if I would make the seasoned potatoes with dinner -- what about the macaroni salad, I ask. Oh he wants both -- so back into the kitchen to make the potatoes while DH grills the steaks. Then of course there is the clean-up after dinner.

Oh well at least I was able to spend an hour sitting on the deck with a bit of handwork!

Below is the recipe for the banana nut crumb cake.

Crumb Topping:
2 cups flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup walnut pieces

Cake:
1 cup mashed banana (2 large)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
confectioner's sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9x2 pan with non stick aluminum foil -- the ends will hang over the edge of the pan.

Crumb topping; mix flour and brown sugar in bowl. cut in butter with two knives until mixture forms coarse crumbs. mix in nuts.

Cake: mix bananas, oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt with whisk until combined. Stir in flour and baking soda until blended. Spread evenly in lined pan and crumble topping on top.

Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Lift foil by ends onto cutting board. cut into squares, sprinkle with Confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy!