Oh great,
bucky, a banana-rye bread.
I bet
JustJoel's link to the Banana Bread Recipe Generator hasn't suggested that option.
Should I substitute caraway seeds for the walnuts?
Sorry to hear that you're having problems with the texture of your rye bread,
Tonym. What do you mean by following the recipe "as best I can"? I've used many of the recipes in my Regal bread machine book; they all turn out fine. I don't know if the Breadman gives you a liquid measurement that reads something like "6 to 8 ounces", but all of my recipes show a range of about 2 ounces liquid for each recipe. Depending on how little or much moisture your flour has, you may need to play with the liquid volume. I start with the minimum, let it blend the ingredients during the first 5 or so minutes at the beginning, then decide whether or not the dough will need more moisture. Too little will result in a crumbly loaf; too much and it seems to bake up undercooked.
I haven't used it for anything but the "Dough" cycle in ages. We never liked the shape, density, or hole in the bottom of the bread when it went through the entire process and spat out a "loaf". Instead, I use the bread machine for the hard work part, then plop that blob of dough out of the mixing bowl onto a floured pastry board, knead it for about a minute, shape, and put into a bread pan. After it has gone through that last rise, I bake it off in the oven. Perfect bread each time, no matter what kind of bread I'm baking.