Happy New Year everyone! Tomorrow marks a big milestone for me – for those of you who know me, you know what that means. The anticipation of tomorrow was one of the reasons why I started this blog to begin with. Time was running out for me to finish things on my list…the blog being one of them. The purpose of this blog was for many reasons – to document recipes, especially my family recipes, to write about food, and to share my passion with others. I wanted this to be a blog about food, not about me or my family – and for the most part I think I have stayed true to that. Every once in a while you get a glimpse into my crazy life, but for the most part – I just talk about my love of cooking and food. I love cooking for many reasons: it calms me to be in the kitchen, I love eating, but most of all, I love sharing what I make with others. There is nothing that makes me happier than to see other people smile when they eat something I have made. It almost gives me more pleasure than eating myself…which definitely helps me fit into my jeans. Well – here’s to many more blog posts about cooking, baking and food. I will definitely be drinking to that tomorrow night at my favorite restaurant.
I think everyone knows how to make banana bread – everyone has their favorite recipe that they like. The truth is, when your bananas get too ripe, what else can you do with them other than bake? Sure, you can make banana muffins – but banana bread is just a little quicker. What amazes me though is the varieties of banana bread out there – and even when you do find a recipe that is similar to yours – how different the end result can look. My mother’s recipe is very simple and produces a very pure (in my mind) taste and texture. It is not too dense, but not too fluffy either – in my mind it is perfect. With 1/3 cup oil per loaf, the bread is not too greasy either. I have made this recipe with chocolate chips, and that tastes great as well – so feel free to get creative. This bread freezes really well – just wrap it in plastic first, then in foil. Let it defrost on the counter, and you will be amazed how delicious it is.
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk or buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 350. Mash bananas with a fork and set aside. Mix oil, sugar, milk, vanilla and eggs well. Add mashed bananas. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl, and add to banana mixture with nuts (optional) until just combined well. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 x 5″ loaf pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from pans while still warm and wrap with plastic.
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Banana Bread
First Look, Then Cook 