Oatmeal Mondays...

well, this would go with your oatmeal.  It's pumpkin banana bread with Nutella swirls and it is fabulous.  We never have bananas lying around (since they are all gobbled up) but a few days ago it happened.  We had 2 beautifully ripe bananas sitting on the counter begging to be put in a baked good of some kind.  So I did it.

I got out my can of pumpkin, those 2 bananas, a jar of Nutella, flour, eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, leaveners, sugars, and spices.  Boy did the counter look like a holiday masterpiece and I didn't even make the bread yet!

I blended all the ingredients and decorated the top with Nutella.  Into the oven it went to party and baste in the sauna.  I must admit that I had a hard time with the baking time and temperature but I blame my new oven for that. Lately, when I bake things at 400 degrees, they burn on top and the center remains undone.  This is what happened with this bread but I caught it in time and turned the oven down to 375 degrees after the first 20 minutes.  I then rotated the bread, covered it, and baked it for another 20 minutes at 375 degrees.  So mine baked for a total of 40 minutes at 400 degrees and 375 degrees.  This does not mean you should follow my lead though.  Every oven is different so please use your best judgement :)
              
Upon taking this warm, tempting, delectable bread out of the oven, I ate the gooey bits and it was every bit as amazing as you can imagine.  So if the same thing happens to you and your oven does not bake this evenly, don't fret.  It will still taste great and everyone will compliment you on the ideal blend of Christmas spices, the harmonious marriage of pumpkin and banana, and the fancy, sweet Nutella swirls.  I crave this bread, I dream about this bread, but best of all, I get to eat this bread every day until it is gone.  And then I will make some more.  

FYI: I used white whole wheat flour, 2 t pumpkin pie spice in place of cinnamon and allspice, and only 2/3 C brown sugar.

Here is the recipe.