Everything You Need to Make the Best Banana Bread

Better ingredients, better bread No Images? Click here   Your Banana Bread Just Got Even Better Let us say this in no uncertain terms: You make terrific banana bread. But even the best, most secret family recipe can benefit from some tips and tricks from Stella's playbook. Here's the equipment and ingredients you need for your best batch yet. A Good Loaf Pan It should go without saying, but to make good banana bread you need a good loaf pan. This straight-sided, uncoated loaf pan is one of our must-haves.  Coconut Oil If you have a recipe that uses vegetable oil, try swapping it for coconut oil. It makes for a less-greasy loaf that's as moist as any other. The tropical aroma of virgin coconut oil can amplify the fruity, floral taste of banana in a major way, but if you're not keen on coconut flavor, look for refined coconut oil instead.  Wheat Flour Whole-grain flour can absorb (and retain) more water than all-purpose, and that accomplishes three things. One, it allows the batter to accommodate more banana purée without turning to soup. Two, it creates a thicker batter, resulting in a more attractive peak. Three, it helps keep the loaf from drying out, improving its texture and shelf life. Spice Grinder Most recipes keep things simple in the spice department, but amping up the spice blend can actually intensify the banana's natural flavor. Make your own blend of ground spices using our favorite spice grinder and keep it in the cupboard for whenever you make banana bread—all you need is a pinch or two.   Food Processor Nobody's gonna complain about a warm slice of banana bread topped with butter, but trade it for a generous smear of banana chantilly and folks will straight-up break into song. Just toss some sugar and freeze-dried bananas into a food processor, grind until powdery, then finish with cream.   Instant-Read Thermometer The deep golden color of the crust won't change much after the loaf has baked for an hour, making it hard to track its progress. And while there's nothing wrong with the old jab-it-with-a-toothpick test, a digital thermometer provides a far more objective frame of reference. Serious Eats 88 35th St Ste 602 Brooklyn, NY 11232 Click Preferences to control which emails you receive from Serious Eats. Clicking Unsubscribe will remove you from all Serious Eats emails…which would be sad. Preferences  |  Unsubscribe

Break Your Resolutions the Right Way With Kenji's Chicken Parmesan

Your Recipe of the Day No Images? Click here The Best Chicken Parmesan Even at its worst, classic Italian-American chicken parmesan is pretty darn good. So how do you go about perfecting it? Our recipe has a buttermilk-based brine for maximum juiciness and tenderness. Tons of Parmesan cheese in our breading—along with a small drizzle of buttermilk—improves its flavor and texture. Our sauce is a slow-cooked, rich red sauce, and a mixture of fresh mozzarella and real Parmigiano-Reggiano top it off. Read More → The Kitchen Essential Food Processor  Fresh bread sent through the food processor makes the best breading—it has the most unique structure with tons of craggy crusty bits. Shop Now   Serious Eats 88 35th St Ste 602 Brooklyn, NY 11232 Click Preferences to control which emails you receive from Serious Eats. Clicking Unsubscribe will remove you from all Serious Eats emails…which would be sad. Preferences  |  Unsubscribe

Your Next Weeknight Meal Plan (And Weekend Cooking Project!)

What to Cook Next Week No Images? Click here   After a busy day, the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen pulling dinner together. Luckily, we have a wealth of delicious weeknight meals that will have you in and out of the kitchen in one hour or less. Meet our weekly dinner plan: Five easy dinners for five busy weeknights, all sent in advance so you can get your shopping done ahead of time. Cook along with us!   Your Week Ahead MONDAY Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto With Frizzled Sage With the help of a pressure cooker, risotto becomes an insanely easy and hands-off dish. Here, it's loaded with layer upon layer of cold weather flavors: butternut squash, sage, brown butter, and just a hint of apple and maple syrup to round it out.   TUESDAY Caldo Verde (Portuguese Potato and Kale Soup With Sausage) Caldo verde is perfect for lazy winter nights. It's made with a few cheap and simple ingredients, it takes all of maybe 10 minutes of prep work, and it's ready to eat just half an hour later. Oh, and it's all made in a single pot, too. WEDNESDAY Scrambled Eggs With Sumac, Pine Nuts, and Parsley Crunchy toasted pine nuts and lemony sumac are great partners for eggs scrambled softly in extra-virgin olive oil. Teamed with whole wheat toast and store-bought merguez sausages, you have a quick brinner on your hands. THURSDAY Shrimp Scampi With Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes, and Herbs To get the most flavor in this shrimp scampi, we use vermouth instead of white wine and a mix of fragrant herbs—parsley, tarragon, and chives—instead of just parsley. It's a quick, easy, one-pot Italian-American classic with just enough extra flavor and flair to make it special. FRIDAY Quick and Easy Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi Potato gnocchi take a long time and are far from foolproof. Enter an easier option: Kenji's 30-minute ricotta version. It's much more failsafe and just special enough for a Friday night dinner. Perhaps alongside a big glass of red wine?     Your Weekend Project Ah, the weekend. Visions of time-consuming kitchen endeavors dancing in your head all week long, and finally you have the time to pursue them. But which one to choose? Let us help you guide your efforts with what we're taking on over the weekend.  Classic Baked Lasagna Bolognese (Lasagne alla Bolognese) Nothing says "winter warmer" like a big pan of homemade lasagna. Our recipe calls for homemade ragu bolognese, which boasts a hefty three-hour cook time. It's perfect for a lazy Saturday when you have time to let it simmer.     Serious Eats 88 35th St Ste 602 Brooklyn, NY 11232-2017 Click Preferences to control which emails you receive from Serious Eats. Clicking Unsubscribe will remove you from all Serious Eats emails…which would be sad. Preferences  |  Unsubscribe