Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/2           cup  dried cherries
     1/2           cup  flour
     1/2      teaspoon  baking powder
     1/4      teaspoon  baking soda
  1           teaspoon  cinnamon
     1/4      teaspoon  allspice -- (i used nutmeg)
     1/2           cup  plus 2 T whole wheat flour -- (i used all white)
  2        tablespoons  cornmeal -- preferably coarse
     1/4      teaspoon  salt
  1                     ripe banana
     1/2           cup  light brown sugar
  1              large  egg
  1         tablespoon  canola oil
     3/4           cup  buttermilk
  1         tablespoon  grated orange peel

Preparation:

Soak the cherries in warm water for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a large muffing pan with vegetable oil. (or "jewel pan" or mini bundt pan) Sift together the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Mix the banana, brown sugar, egg, oil, buttermilk and orange peel in blender or processor. Make a well in dry ingredients, add banana mixture and mix gently. Drain and fold in the cherries. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake until a pick comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Notes: I used about 1/4 cup oil and reduced the buttermilk. I doubled the recipe and used a jewel pan and a mini-bundt pan. a great banana-cherry bread. I just finished baking it--and, of course, had to sample. This is really good. I got busy and the dried cherries soaked for about an hour with no ill-effects.

Nutritional Information:

1078 Calories (kcal); 22g Total Fat; (17% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 205g Carbohydrate; 193mg Cholesterol; 1381mg Sodium