Banana Corn Bread

Place the corn meal in a mixing bowl and thoroughly mix in the baking powder.

In the container of a high speed blender, place the bananas and dates (check each date carefully to make sure that there are no remaining pits). Cover the container and run the blender at high speed until the banana date mixture is creamy smooth,

Lightly oil a covered baking dish.

Add the banana date mixture to the cornmeal and thoroughly mix together. The dough mixture should be a little on the stiff side, but still easily mixable. If the dough is too stiff, add a little apple juice or water and mix again.

Immediately spoon the banana corn bread dough into the covered baking dish and smooth out to the sides with the mixing spoon. Cover and place in the oven. If the corn bread is baked uncovered, it can become too dry.

If baking in the microwave oven, baking time should be about 8-10 minutes. When you see rapidly boiling bubbles coming up on the sides of the corn bread, the corn bread should only bake for 1 more minute. The top of the corn bread should be spongy to the touch.

Use this same spongy test if baking the corn bread in a conventional oven (baking time should be 20-25 minutes).

Remove from the oven and let the covered baking dish cool on a wire rack until you can safely handle the baking dish with your hands.

Uncover the baking dish and run a flat table knife around the edges to make sure that the corn bread is not sticking to the sides of the baking dish.

Place a large serving plate, up side down, over the baking dish and holding the plate and baking dish together, invert them and the corn bread should drop onto the plate.

If the corn bread sticks to the baking dish, nudge the bread loose by raising one end of the baking dish and slip the table knife up along the side and apply a little sideways and downward pressure to release the corn bread. Slice and serve.