Getting ready for hibernation?

This morning I woke up to a foggy, wet and windy day. Being my first client isn't until 4:30, I decided to take today to finish what I started yesterday.
While doing the Grouse Grind this summer, I overheard two moms talking about how they prepare dried garbanzo beans. One of them was talking about how it took a lot of prep time. Soak overnight, boil for an hour then they're ready to use. It's so much easier to grab a can from the cupboard, open it and you're ready to rock. The Mom #2 said that what she did was that she put a whole bag of dried beans to soak, then she'd boil them, let them dry out on a towel for 30 minutes or so then bag them and freeze them. I thought her idea was brilliant so I did just that this morning. I put my beans to soak before yoga last night, boiled and bagged them this afternoon.
I also took the odds and ends of breads that had accumulated in my freezer (I tend to abandon the crust ends), dried them in the oven and made bread crumbs with them. I froze 5 lunches from last nights lasagna too. During my venture in my freezer I found 3 fossilized black bananas. Now I knew they weren't that colour when I put them in there so I knew they were good. I had yogurt that needed using up too so I decided to make my banana bread recipe. My apartment now smells so delicious! I don't know what I like more, the smell of baking banana bread or the banana bread itself.
Once that's baked, I'll probably freeze a loaf into lunch size slices. Yeah, I think it's official, I am getting ready to hibernate and eat well this winter.

Beautiful Banana Bread

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I mix all-purpose flour and whole wheat, sometimes I throw in spelt, sometimes I throw in buckwheat... it all depends on my mood).

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes

2 1/3 cups sugar (I used brown sugar and used only a cup)

1 cup vegetable oil (I mix veg oil and EVOO*)

3 cups coarsely mashed very ripe bananas (6 large)

1/4 cup crème fraîche (yogurt works too)

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9- by 5- by 3-inch) metal loaf pans, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together 3 1/4 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.

Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, crème fraîche, and vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture and walnuts gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Cool loaves in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Turn loaves right side up and cool completely.

YUMMMM! Enjoy!

*Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Photo - the 'a table...' decal is part of my new kitchen decor. I love that it was available in French :)