Make a batch of muffins or a loaf or two of quick bread. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort. It can motivate you to use up ripe bananas or apples, too.

Banana Bread

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups mashed bananas
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Streusel:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8-by- 4 loaf pans Using a mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Gradually, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended. Gradually add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to butter mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended. Stir in bananas, pecans and vanilla. Spoon batter into pans.

For streusel: Stir together brown sugar, toasted pecans, flour, melted butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter in pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 more minutes before slicing.