Lou, my daughter's best friends mom, made this, and we have adopted the recipe: Banana Bread 2 c sugar 1/2 c oil (I use grape seed oil, as that is the only one in my house) 2 eggs 3 c flour 1 pinch salt 1/2 c buttermilk 1 to 1 1/2 t baking soda 3 to 4 ripe bananas mashed 1/2 c nuts (optional) Cream sugar and oil, add eggs, flour, salt, buttermilk (mix the buttermilk and baking soda together) mix and finally bananas and nuts. Pour in to greased bread pans (we use small ones, makes three). Bake at 350 degree for about 1 hour, top should be split. and then there is the Zucchini Chocolate Cake I used to have the Zucchini listed as secret ingredient, cause that was the only way I could get my girls to eat it. :) t=teaspoon T=Tablespoon c=cup (German measure) 2 1/2 c unsifted flour (370gramm) 1/2 c cocoa (60 gramm) 2 1/2 t soda (1 Paeckchen Backpulver) 1 t salt (1 Prise) 1 t cinnamon 3/4 c margarine or butter (ca. 160 gramm) 2 c sugar (400 gramm) 3 eggs 2 t vanilla 2 t grated orange peel (optional) 2 c shredded zucchini (1/2 Liter) 1/3 c milk (ca. 1/15 liter oder 70 gramm) 1 c nuts (optional) 350 degree oven (ca. Mittlehitze?) mix first 3 ingredients, set aside Beat margarine and add the next 5 ingredients and add the flour mixture and milk. Mix well. Pour in to greased and floured bundt cake form (springform). Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool in pan for about 15 minutes and then take it out of the pan to let cool the rest. Drizzle with icing if desired. Icing 2 c powdered sugar 3 T milk Really yummy with a dollop of whipping cream on top. :)

As others mentioned, the easiest way is to use an existing recipe and adapt it for the best blend of art (your changes) and science (established ratio of ingredients). Sarah Phillips - author of "Baking 9-1-1" and the great web site - http://www.baking911.com/ - made 100 different attempts before she came up with a low-fat White Cake recipe she liked. I made a form I use for creating new recipes, or for altering existing ones. I may have several pages of changes for the same recipe using this form before I am done. The form is divided into two columns. On the left side I'll place the original recipe (hand-written or a photo-copy), or sometimes I'll photo copy it on the back of the form if it's large). I may be adapting it to have high-fiber, low-fat, sugar-free, gluten-free, wholegrain, etc..., or it will be my first attempt, if it's an original recipe. On the left side I add my notes, after making the recipe, in boxes marked: -Ingredient changes (I made from the original recipe.) -Results - this is where my training as a Foods Judge comes in handy and I'll judge my recipe by those standards. -Next time - notes about changes I need to make or options I can use for the same recipe. I usually don't make more than three significant alterations on any one try. It's also beneficial to know some food science. For instance: -Additions of cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg ADDED TO THE DOUGH should be kept to around 1/4-teaspoon per cup of flour in yeast bread because too much can be detrimental to yeast growth. Now you know why the cinnamon is applied to the dough and rolled-up, not added to the dough in large amounts. -Bread dough characterized as sweet, salty or low absorption may require a special kind of yeast called Osmotolerant Instant Active Dry Yeast. Another helpful hint when making sweet breads and you don't have an osmotolerant instant active dry yeast product is to add 1/4 t. ascorbic acid or 3 t. lemon juice to assist in the rising. You'll also note sweet breads often call for more yeast because of the slow rise. -Adding an acid (ascorbic acid, lemon juice) to yeast breads that contain wheat germ, or whole wheat flour (which also contains wheat germ) will aid in preventing glutatione from forming, which can damage the gluten. Short heavy loaves of 100% whole wheat bread are a sign of gluten damage. -Just how much sugar CAN you add to a yeast bread before you damage the gluten? Two tablespoons of sugar per cup of flour is about the maximum you can add without major gluten damage. -How much milk or dry milk powder is too much in yeast bread? Milk affects the volume, symmetry, cellular structure, and texture. If the loaf looks more like a roller coaster ride, then there is too much dairy. You can overcome some of the effects of large amounts of dairy by scalding milk (which alters that protein in the whey of the dairy product), or using Special Dry Milk Powder from King Arthur Flour. -If you reduce the salt in a yeast bread recipe, you should also reduce the amount of yeast because salt regulates the yeast. So a general rule-of-thumb, if you reduce the salt by 50%, then reduce the yeast by 50% as well. -There is generally a ratio of ingredients used in most types of baking that is already well-established in the world of food science. There is generally a proportion maintained between ingredients that are tenderizers (fat and sugar) and those that are structure builders (flour and eggs). For instance, a standard plain cake has, by measure, one-third as much fat as sugar; two-thirds as much milk as sugar; and about three times as much flour as liquid. When I developed gluten-free cookie recipes, I first formulated a basic cookie recipe, and then made other changes to make many kinds of cookies from the same base recipe. I didn't have to reinvent the recipe each time, just alter it. You can also follow bakers' percentages for bread making. Following the same percentages you can make one loaf, or a recipe for 10 loaves. It's also good to know how much flour there is in different amounts of dough: 2-1/2 cups flour = 1-pound loaf 3-cups = 1-1/2-pound loaf 4-cups = 2-pound loaf -When you reduce fat and sugar you will be sacrificing tenderness, so find foods that may be substituted for those. For instance: *Whey-based milk substitute powder has a shortening effect on baked goods, so you can add it and reduce fat. *You can generally use 25% less coconut oil than butter or shortening and get the same effect. *Use Sweet Dairy Whey powder (not to be confused with whey protein powder) and you can significantly reduce the amount of sugar. -You don't always have to change the ingredient to change the recipe. When making bread if you add the fat early in the recipe it has a shortening effect on the gluten. The result is a closed-grain crumb, almost cake like, and a shorter loaf. Add the same amount of fat later, after the gluten has developed, and you'll get a higher loft and a more open crumb. Neither is right or wrong, but you'll get a different texture. Closed grain if you are going to use it for sandwiches dressed with mayo, and an open crumb for toast for all those openings for butter and marmalade to settle into. -Egg whites are drying, so when you try to lower fat and use egg whites only, you may have to add another ingredient to make up for effects found in the egg yolks. Yolks contain lecithin which have an emulsifying effect you can't get with whites. -Make low-fat baked goods in small amounts because they don't keep as well as those with fat. So instead of a 9x13-inch pan, make a recipe in a loaf pan or 8-inch square to avoid dried-out leftovers. -If I think I'll need to taste a batter that contains raw eggs, before I bake it, I'll use reconstituted pasteurized whole egg powder, or powered egg yolks or egg whites to avoid a food safety issue from tasting raw eggs. And a million other little things that come in handy with altering or creating recipes. -Grainlady

Butternut Squash Casserole 1 medium to large butternut squash cooked and mashed 3 large eggs 3/4 C sugar (I use brown) 1/3 C butter, softened 1/3 C milk 1 tsp. ground ginger Combine ingredients and put in 8" square baking dish. Bake 350 35 minutes. Sprinkle with crush corn flakes and bake 10 min. more. Spicy cranberries 1/2 C sugar 1/4 C water 2" stick finn. 1 C fresh cranberries orange zest In small saucepan, combine first three ingredients. Bring mixture to boil. Add cranberries and return to boil, boiling rapidly 2 min or until cranberries pop. Put in serving bowl, coll. Cover and chill thoroughly. Remove finn. before serving. Garnish with orange twist. Makes 3/4 cup. Green Beans with Roasted Onions 6 medium onions (2 1/2 lb.) peeled, cut vertically through root end into 12 wedges. 3 lb. greens beans, trimmed 2 cans low sodium chicken broth 6 T. butter 3 T. sugar 2 T. red wine vinegar Spray w large cookie sheets with pam. Arrange onions in single layer. Dot equally with 4 T. butter. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 450 until onions are brown (dark) on bottoms. (35 min.) Boil broth in heavy skillet over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (6 min.) Add sugar and vinegar whisking until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to boil. Add onions, reduce to med.. low. Simmer about 5 min. Season with salt and pepper. Can be prepared to this point a day ahead. Cook beans until crisp tender. Reheat onion mixture. Drain beans, add remaining 1 T butter and toss beans to coat. Mound beans in large shallow dish. Top with onion mixture.

I’m spamming this thread. :D Just came across this, it would make such a nice light entree, snack, side, or appetizer for the season: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/11/sweet-potatoes-with-pecans-and-goat-cheese/ She gives good substitutions, too. I would never have thought to have cheese with sweet potatoes, but am definitely going to try it. Another cranberry app: https://carlsbadcravings.com/easy-cranberry-pistachio-cheese-log/