Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. mashed bananas
1/4 c. plain yogurt
3 T dark rum
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. + 1 T flaked sweetened coconut

Glaze
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 T fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and butter into a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 c. coconut. Spoon batter into 9 x 5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lime juice, stirring with whisk; drizzle over warm bread.

*The glaze adds a definite citrusy flavor in sharp contrast to the sweetness of the bread. You could easily leave out the lime juice and just mix the powdered sugar with 1 1/2 T water.
**When I made mine, I misread the directions and mixed in the 1 T. coconut with the glaze. That's why the glaze looks a bit "chunky" in the picture. It still tasted great though!

This recipe comes from the September 2007 issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

Rosemary Rolls

7 1/2 T olive oil

3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Heat these two ingredients together to a boil. Turn off heat. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove rosemary from the oil.

4 c. flour*
2 pkg dry yeast

2 T sugar

2 T chopped rosemary

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 c. warm water

Activate yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. Combine yeast mixture with flour, sugar, rosemary, and salt to make a dough. Add rest of water and oil. Form into a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic (at least 5 minutes). Pour into oiled bowl and cover loosely with oiled plastic. Leave in warm place for 1 hour.

Divide dough into 12 pieces and make balls. Place on 2 oiled baking sheets. Cover loosely and let double (15-30 minutes). If desired, glaze tops with beaten egg at this time. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve warm with butter.

*I added a bit more flour as I was kneading because I found the dough very sticky and hard to work with.

I do not know the exact source of this recipe. I grow rosemary in my garden, so I was looking for a rosemary bread recipe and this is one I found.