Alex is the youngest of our 7 nieces & nephews. He’s turning 17 today. I don’t think that makes us old, I think that makes him old! The year Alex was born, June 27th was on a Friday, just like this year. The week of Alex’s birth, my parents brought Alex’s 2 siblings, Nickolas & Megan, to Smugglers’ Notch, VT with them, where they joined us on our vacation, allowing my sister Diane & her husband Nick to concentrate on the birth of their 3rd child.  I’m pretty sure Alex’s birth went well. I know the rest of us were having a great time in the Green Mountains of Vermont!

Alex at 4 months old.

Alex with Nickolas & Megan.

Alex is the strong & silent type. He doesn’t say much around the adults at family gatherings, but we can usually evoke a smile and sometimes even a laugh out of him when we work at it during the few times a year we get to see him. He is a great athlete; he plays lacrosse and is devoted to swim team in the summer. Our usual Christmas gift to him is some sort of lacrosse gear. A few Christmases ago, Alex built my father a gumball machine in shop class. I admired Alex’s woodworking skills, earning myself one of Alex’s smiles! When I saw my sister the following spring, she gave me a birdhouse that Alex had built for me and painted my favorite colors. This summer, Alex’s birdhouse is hosting a wren family.

Alex likes the quick breads I make, so for his birthday, I’m posting a chocolate & cherry bread recipe.

Chocolate-Cherry Banana Bread (adapted from tasteofhome.com)

Servings: 16 slices         Time: 1½ hours needed

Ingredients:

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Place cherries in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them stand for 15 minutes, while putting together the rest of the batter. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Incorporate the banana, sour cream and vanilla into the batter. Add in the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, mixing well, then add in the flour, a little at a time until well mixed.

Mix the batter well.

Drain the cherries & pat them dry, then coarsely chop them. Fold the cherries into the batter. Pour the batter into a 9″ X 5″ X 3″ loaf pan coated with non-stick cooking spray.

Add in the chopped cherries.

Bake the bread at 350° for 45-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted near the center of the loaf. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes before turning the bread out onto a rack to finish cooling.

It’s hard to let the bread cool completely before slicing into it for a taste!

For best results, the bread should cool a bit before being sliced and allowed to cool completely before being wrapped tightly to store it.

Perfect for breakfast, lunch, snack, dessert . . .

Happy Birthday, Alex!   ~Linda

Chocolate-Cherry Banana Bread (adapted from tasteofhome.com)

Servings: 16 slices         Time: 1½ hours needed

Ingredients:

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Place cherries in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them stand for 15 minutes, while putting together the rest of the batter. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Incorporate the banana, sour cream and vanilla into the batter. Add in the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, mixing well, then add in the flour, a little at a time until well mixed. Drain the cherries & pat them dry, then coarsely chop them. Fold the cherries into the batter. Pour the batter into a 9″ X 5″ X 3″ loaf pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake the bread at 350° for 45-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted near the center of the loaf. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes before turning the bread out onto a rack to finish cooling. For best results, the bread should cool a bit before being sliced and allowed to cool completely before being wrapped tightly to store it.