Monday Martha Moment # 9

Banana Bread & Eggplant Parm

Banana bread is one of those recipes that feels like home to me. Growing up, there was always a bunch of overripe bananas on the counter, and my mom had a way of transforming them into warm loaves of banana bread almost weekly. By the time I was 12 or 13, I had the recipe memorized and could whip one up myself.

When I saw banana bread on Martha’s list, I was curious, could she really improve on a family staple?

The main differences from my mom’s recipe came down to technique and ingredients: Martha has you cream the butter and sugar together at the start (my mom melted her butter and added it in later), she uses baking soda instead of baking powder, and her recipe calls for less flour. Plus, sour cream. I wasn’t sure how it would all come together, but the batter felt lighter and airier than what I was used to, which had me intrigued.

The verdict? Delicious. Light, airy, and extra moist thanks to the sour cream. Honestly, it might be the most “grown-up” banana bread I’ve ever had. Do I love it enough to dethrone my mom’s recipe? I’m not sure. But it’s definitely earned a spot in my rotation.

Next on the menu: Eggplant Parmesan. I’ll admit, I’d never made it before. I had a vague memory of it being one of those dishes that looks deceptively simple but takes forever, and I was right. Between browning the eggplant slices and letting everything bake for nearly an hour, this was a bit of a time investment. But, the payoff? Worth it.

I used a homemade pasta sauce I had stashed in the freezer and served it all over angel hair pasta. The result was rich, hearty, and surprisingly filling for a meatless dish. My husband even went so far as to call it “restaurant quality,” which in our house is the highest possible praise. I have to agree, it was a win.

So, week nine brought me back to comfort food classics, with a Martha twist. Banana bread for nostalgia, Eggplant Parmesan for a little Italian indulgence. Both recipes earned repeat status, though next time I’ll clear my schedule before I take on eggplant.