This is the recipe I use minus the fruit fresh. Banana Jam 4 cups prepared fruit (about 11 fully ripe medium bananas) 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. EVER-FRESH or Fruit Fresh Fruit Protector (optional) 1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional) 6 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl MASH bananas thoroughly. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. Stir lemon juice and fruit protector into prepared fruit in saucepot. STIR pectin into fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. STIR in all sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon. LADLE quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; add boiling water if needed. Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Don't yuck my yum. Another person can use agave syrup to their hearts content but I don't care for the stuff. I even know some people who don't like butter, like my own mother, although I find that strangely suspect, LOL. So, I'll stick with my butter, my olive oil, my cane sugar (refined or otherwise) and hope that my grass fed beef and organic vegetables will balance it all out. islay, I've used those spreadable butters and find them acceptable, although now scientists are finding that butter isn't actually as unhealthy as once thought. There are various kinds here, some have canola oil (which I avoid due to the GMOs but anyone else that wants to eat it is OK by me) and some have olive oil. I can't see that it negatively impacts flavor, but the texture is just a tiny bit different. Well of course it's different, it's supposed to be soft, LOL. It's a lot better than that trans-fat laden "margarine", we used to call it "oleo". Of course, I just like butter. (grin) Annie

Actually, oleo/margarine are just Crisco with added color and flavoring--that's the product that won't be too afected by room temp storage. Butter? If you read the recommendations of the experts, and the butter companies themselves, it's recommended not only that butter ALWAYS be stored in the fridge, but in the COLDEST part of the fridge. You're not even supposed to keep it in the butter keeper on the door, because that's not cold enough for proper butter storage. Sorry, but keeping butter at room temp is a practice that's really outdated--it's simply not necessary these days. I keep my butter in the fridge and while my toast is toasting, I pop my butter dish in the microwave for a few seconds (12 in the regular microwave; 15 in the Advantium)--and it's the perfect consistency for spreading or using in recipes. As someone else said--butter is a dairy product. Not only that, but it's got a high fat content. That means the bottom of the fridge is the place it should be stored. For both those reasons--AND the fact that at the price, I don't want to waste it, it's always the refrigerator here.

Banana Bread In Machine or Not Large Water 1/3 cup Oil 1/4 cup Honey 1/4 cup Egg 1 Bread Flour 3 cups Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup Banana, mashed 7/8 cup Salt 1+1/2 tsp Vanilla 1 tsp Active Dry Yeast 1 TBSP DIRECTIONS BakerâÂÂs note: Bananas vary in liquid content. It is very important to check the dough consistency adding more water or more flour as necessary. Bread Machine Method Have liquid ingredients at 80ú F and all others at room temperature. Place ingredients in pan in the order listed. Select basic cycle and medium/normal crust. Check dough consistency after 5 minutes of kneading. The dough should be in a soft, tacky ball. If it is dry and stiff, add water, 1/2 to 1 TBSP at a time. If it is too wet and sticky, add 1 TBSP of flour at a time. When cycle is complete, remove from pan; cool on rack. Traditional Method Combine yeast, 1 cup bread flour and salt; mix well. Heat water and oil to 120ð to 130ðF; add to flour mixture. Blend at low speed. Add egg, honey and bananas: beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, gradually stir in whole wheat flour and enough of the remaining bread flour to make a firm dough. Knead on floured surface 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl; turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough tests ripe. On lightly floured surface, roll or pat dough to a 14 x 7-inch rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into roll with each turn. Pinch edges and ends to seal. Place in greased 8 x 4-inch bread pan. Cover; let rise until indentation remains when lightly touched. Bake in a 400ðF preheated oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375ðF and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer until browned and loaves sound hollow when tapped. Bread is thoroughly baked when its internal temperature tests 190ðF. Remove from pan; cool on rack. You can substitute Instant (fast-rising) yeast in place of Active Dry Yeast. When using Instant Yeast, expect your dough to rise faster. Always let your dough rise until ripe. Traditional methods: use equal amounts; Bread Machine: use 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast OR 3/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast per cup of flour in your recipe. I plan on trying this recipe soon. Sue