Banana Bread

I am constantly bookmarking new recipes to try, saving them to my Pinterest board to pull on them whenever I need (or just want) to make something.  Because I'm always searching for something new and exciting to bake or cook, I often forget that my family has many delicious recipes that we have been making since I was a little girl.  My mom makes phenomenal macaroni and potato salad, and I have had my recipe for pancakes/waffles memorized since I was old enough to use a skillet (one Christmas, I got 2 waffle irons).  During the winter, and during the summer too because it's so good, my mom makes a chili that doesn't taste like paste and my dad has this delicious marinade that goes well on fish, chicken, or steak.  We make these recipes about once a week and I've never thought of sharing them here, until I made banana bread last night.

"Ew Ali that was in your fridge?" - Disgusted reader

When I have 1 or 2 bananas that look like they're going bad, I usually throw them in a smoothie to salvage whatever is left of the fruit.  If I happen to let a whole bunch of bananas go overripe (whoops), I choose to make banana bread.  The bananas took a turn for the worse very quickly when Hurricane Irene knocked out our power on Sunday, but believe me all was not lost.  This is the absolutely ideal thing to do with overripe bananas.  The bread is moist and not too sweet, and I recommend not completely liquifying the bananas when you mash them, some little chunks of banana will certainly come through in the bread.  This bread is delicious for breakfast or as a dessert, especially with some of that Nutella toasted almond butter. 

The bread can be cooked in a larger pan, but we have found that the bread seems to burn on the top and stay uncooked in the middle when the pan is too big.  Plus, with two smaller pans, you can always freeze one loaf to save for a later date.  I, however, do not like to freeze anything because I always forget it's there and before I know it my brother is leaving for Virginia with one of my loaves of banana bread.  I mean come on can't my 20-year-old brother bake for himself at college?  No?  Oh fine.

The bread is also very dense, so one of these small loaves will probably last you through the week.  Maybe instead of freezing one you can give the other to a friend?  Like someone who was recently affected by the hurricane and is still left without power?  Some of the streets here are flowing like rivers and I know people who still do not have power, it's pretty unreal. 

Oh and yes I am definitely that person that cuts the end off of the loaf, then takes a second slice from the middle.  Did you know that leaving the end on and just eating from the middle keeps the inside of the bread from getting stale when you have the loaf wrapped up in plastic wrap?  I am clearly doing everyone else a favor by leaving them the crusts.


Banana Bread

Ingredients

- 1 egg

- 4 bananas, overripe

- 3 tbsp butter

- ½ c brown sugar

- ½ c sugar

- 2 c flour

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1 tsp baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F and grease the bottom and sides of 2 7 ½ x 3 ½ in bread pans.

Scramble the egg in a large mixing bowl.  Add the bananas and mash together.   Melt the butter and add to the banana mix and combine.  Sift together the rest of the dry ingredients and combine.

Pour into bread pans and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pans for about 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks. 

Posted by Ali B at 12:17 PM