BANANA BREAD FOR EVERYONE

WEEK TWENTY: RECIPES THAT WILL EVEN IMPRESS YOUR FUSS-BUDGET MOTHER-IN-LAW WHO HAS NEVER BEEN IMPRESSED WITH YOUR COOKING BEFORE.

I hate to think about how many overripe bananas I have thrown away in times past just because I didn't know what to do with them or didn't want to take the trouble to use them. But making banana bread is so easy and so worthwhile when you think that you're using something up rather than throwing it out where it's no good to anyone. Banana bread is nature's reward for being frugal and conservative and not letting a brown or almost black banana find itself in the trash. On top of it all, this wonderful, moist, spicy, aromatic bread is delicious to eat. You can make it with or without nuts and with or without the chocolate chips. It's good whichever way you make it. It's simple, down to earth and everything you want in a quick bread straight from the oven. You don't have to wait for it to cool to slice it and eat it as you usually do with a loaf of yeast bread. You can eat it hot enough to melt the butter right on it (if you like to butter your banana bread.) Here's how to do it:

Recipe:

3 ripe bananas

4 eggs

1 C. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 C. flour

1 1/2 C. white sugar

1 1/2 C. brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. each ground ginger and cloves

2/3 C. water

1/2 C. chopped walnuts (optional)

1 C. miniature chocolate chips (also optional)

Directions:

Mash the bananas in a deep bowl. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla and mix together with wire whip.

Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (your mix master bowl if you have one)

Gradually add the egg and banana mixture to the dry ingredients. The batter will be very thick. Then slowly pour in the water and keep mixing on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until it becomes fluffy and light. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into 2 loaf pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until they spring back on the top when touched. Makes 2 loaves of moist, delicious banana bread. You can also make muffins with this recipe.

Here is the bowl of mashed bananas, eggs and oil.

Combine all of the dry ingredients together in a big bowl.

Make sure you get rid of the brown sugar bumps.

Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients very slowly. Then add the water. Beat on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes. After that you can put in the nuts or chocolate chips or whatever you want or don't want. I love nuts so I added them in. If you're not a nutter, then leave them out.

Pour the batter into 3 small or 2 large loaf pans that have been greased or sprayed with Pam Baking spray. Fill the pans 2/3 full. If you decide to make muffins, this recipe makes approximately 24. Yummm. Enjoy!