Follow the recipe for an edible country club

Welcome to Clubhouse Diningwhere we celebrate the best food and drink of the game. Hope you brought your appetite.

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Some comfort foods are simply more comforting than others. Take banana bread, for example. Just the smell of freshly baked banana bread usually brings a smile to many people's faces. In fact, that's exactly what happened at Windsong Farm, a private golf club west of downtown Minneapolis, where banana bread has always been available – first it was a fast food served with salted butter during the swing. It is a popular offering at the club, which boasts a devoted following among club members.

“It's part of Windsong's DNA,” said the group's executive chef, Erik Swanson. “The smell of banana bread in the morning fills the whole house, and the desire to 'what's cooling in the window' is exactly what we want in the club.”

Baking delicious banana bread is easier than you might think, and even more affordable thanks to Chef Swanson's advice. First, she recommends taking all the cold ingredients out of the fridge ahead of time, letting them warm up on the counter before you start mixing the dough. As the chef explains, using room temperature ingredients allows more air in the batter, and that produces a lighter bread. He says: “Cold ingredients lead to dryness.”

Also, be careful not to overuse your batter. As Swanson shares, that error can produce too much gluten. “Mix gently,” he advises, “folding with a soft spatula until the mixture comes together.”

An even more common mistake involves preheating the oven. As Chef Swanson tells us, it's a misconception that quick breads need a preheated oven. He says: “Starting in a cold oven can allow for a slower baking time that results in a more fully baked and higher quality bread.”

Armed with these tips, delicious homemade banana bread is just around the corner. And if you'd like to fill your home with the delicious aromas of Windsong Farm bread, share Chef Swanson's recipe below. Happy baking!

Windsong Farm Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sour milk*
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
0.5 tsp. baking soda

*To make sour milk, mix one tablespoon of white vinegar with one cup of milk

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients until well combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.

Add the bananas and eggs and mix until well combined.

Gradually beat in the dry ingredients and milk mixture (alternating both) until well combined.

Spread the mixture in the prepared bread pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about an hour.