Banana Bread

For Bebe, bananas have got to be in constant supply around our house.  Usually, they never go bad (never last long enough), but we spent some days at the lake this past holiday weekend and ended up with three overly ripe ones.

Three mushy bananas = one great banana bread.  I always use the recipe found in my "River Road Recipes II" cookbook.  If you've not seen this book, it's a great one to have.  You can order it through the Jr. League of Baton Rouge.  This cookbook lands in my top five favorite cookbooks category.  

Drum roll, please...

Banana Nut Bread

1/2 cup margarine (I use a stick of unsalted butter)

1 1/2 cups sugar (granulated)
2 eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 cups cake flour, measured after sifting (I measured, then sifted and it was just fine)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup milk (I used buttermilk)

3 small or 2 large bananas, mashed to a pulp

1 cup chopped pecans (I didn't have any so I went without)

Cream margarine and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat until fluffy.  Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk, bananas, and nuts.  Beat well after each addition.  Bake in waxed paper lined (I just buttered the pan and didn't fiddle w/the waxed paper) 6-1/2 x 10-1/2 inch pan (this is a standard loaf pan) in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean (this baked in my oven for an hour and a half, but all ovens are different so just keep an eye on it).  This bread keeps well in plastic wrap and also freezes well.

Recipe provided by Mrs. William Barth of New Orleans, LA

As you can see, I added my thoughts on the recipe.  I try to simplify things for myself when I'm cooking.  This bread was so moist and had a nice crumb when it was sliced.  I don't think my adjustments bothered a thing.