BANANA BREAD

Perhaps you tried my mother's recipe for bread pudding that I posted a few days ago.  Today I'm posting my mother's recipe for banana bread.  I know, there are a gazillion recipes for banana bread.  I expect that my mother had many other recipes as well since she shared this recipe as her "favorite."  I also have many recipes for banana bread with notes such as "greasy" or "dry" or "bland".  These are all reasons why you should try this particular recipe.  Not only does the recipe result in banana bread that is moist and flavorful, it is flexible, as noted in the recipe.

As I emptied this bag of flour I noticed that a recipe for banana bread was printed on the package.  Even though I think my mother's recipe may be better, I'll probably go ahead and make this one, just out of curiosity.  If I do, I'll try to remember to blog here about it.  

The question is:  Why do I keep trying so many different recipes for the same thing, when I already have the perfect recipe?!?  

As an aside, Gold Medal flour is America's #1 selling flour brand - originating over 135 years ago... in Minneapolis, Minnesota!  



MOM'S BANANA BREAD
*  1/2 cup soft butter
*  1 cup sugar
*  2 eggs, large
*  1-1/3 cups mashed bananas (about 4 bananas)
*  1 tablespoon milk
*  1 teaspoon vanilla
*  2 cups flour, all purpose
*  1 teaspoon baking soda
*  1/4 teaspoon salt
*  1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional:  chocolate chips)
*  1/2 cup quartered maraschino cherries (optional:  chocolate chips)
Preheat oven to 350º.  Grease a 9"x 5" loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar;  beat in eggs.  
Combine mashed bananas with milk and vanilla.
In a small bowl, mix flour, soda and salt together; blend it into the banana mixture.
Stir in nuts/cherries/chocolate chips.  Pour into loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Notice the very, very ripe bananas.  The two in the bag came out of the freezer.  They look awful, but they are perfect for a flavorful bread.   Tip:  When you have overripe bananas, instead of tossing them, peel them, put them in a baggie, and store them in the freezer for making banana bread.

Here are the three mixtures: 1) dry ingredients in the small bowl, 2) creamed sugar and butter, with eggs ready to be beaten in, and 3) wet ingredients - bananas, milk and vanilla.


Tip:  As you can see in the photo below, I should have put on gloves before cutting the maraschino cherries.  Oh well...

TA DA...  Ready to eat!  Actually, this was cut when the bread was hot out of the oven.  Tip:  Once the bread cools, it sets up and will cut perfectly.  

Of course, you probably don't need suggestions for eating banana bread BUT consider this:  Toast a slice of banana bread, top with a scoop of ice cream of your choice, and top with hot fudge sauce.   Really, really good!