In The Kitchen: Banana Bread

There are 101 reasons I think I love Banana Bread....once I slather softened butter on a big thick slice, make it 102....

Not only was it probably the easiest A I ever received in all my years of school...as the first baking project in 7th grade Home Ec Class...

It is the perfect Go to gift idea for when your neighbor has had knee surgery, or it's the end of the year and you still feel the need to bribe your child's teacher.

Baking a loaf or 5 always makes the kitchen smell amazing, and makes me long for crisp Fall Afternoons.....

Banana Bread is cheap....

Banana Bread is versatile.....throw in some nuts....or if you really want to get all bra-burning crazy, add some chocolate chips ( that will get the tongues wagging)

....and in this day and age, it's the only way on this green earth, my 3 year old will get near Bananas....

Plus Banana Bread is kind of miraculous in it's own way. I mean, who in their right mind would think that anything good could come from mushy, brown bananas that really look like they would be better served tossed in the trash than in my Kitchen Aid Stand mixer.

Behold....probably the easiest and by far (in my humble opinion) the BEST Banana Bread Recipe known to man.....

Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/3 c mashed overripe bananas

optional:

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

or

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 in. loaf pan

2. In large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, you are going to want to cream the butter and brown sugar. To the Butter Mixture, you will add the 2 eggs and the mashed bananas. stir until well blended.

3. Add the Banana Mixture to the Flour Mixture and stir until blended. Add Walnuts or Chocolate chips at this time. Pour Batter into prepared loaf pan

4. Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, until inserting a toothpick into the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes before placing on wire rack.

Best served warm....with a big ole slather of butter......the guilt can come later