Banana Bread

When my husband and I got married, my mother-in-law gave us the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. Some of our favorite recipes come from this cookbook, and this recipe is one of them. I know at least one newer version of this cook book has come out since we got married, but I can't bring myself to upgrade. I love my worn-in, sentimental cook book, ripped pages and all. :) If I told my husband that I was attached to a cook book from our wedding day, I think he'd have me committed.....

Seriously, though, I do have attachment issues. On our first date, we sat and talked while drinking some Coke in glass bottles. Yeah, I still have those. And one night, we were eating at this Italian restaurant, and my husband composed a song for me on the paper tablecloth with the crayons they give the kids. Still have that, too.

Okay, so apparently I'm feeling a wee bit sentimental considering it's nearing V-Day. :)

Enough sap. On to banana bread.

I've made the recipe with nuts and without nuts. I've also made it with the lemon juice and without. And I suggest making it with both of those ingredients. It's much higher on the Yumminess Scale that way.

To make banana bread, your bananas need to be really ripe. They need to be starting to turn dark to get the most sweetness and flavor out of them. Like this:

This recipe makes one loaf of banana bread. My family inhales this stuff, so I always double the recipe. It's fabulous to serve as a quick, healthy breakfast in the morning, unless your 2 year old is like mine and screams, "More butter!!!!!" as you're fixing her slice....

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a loaf pan; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. In another bowl, combine the egg, bananas, sugar, cooking oil and lemon juice. Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Stir in nuts.

Pour batter into your prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack until completely cooled.

The original recipe says to wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and store overnight before slicing. We can't exercise enough self-control to do that. But if you can, more power to you.

M'mmmmmm! Good thing I still have some left!