Banana Bread

After the day that both Jeff and I had, I was so glad that I had baked a comforting loaf of banana bread this morning. This recipe is quite easy; no special equipment, or special skills for that matter, is need to make this delicious quick bread. It's a great way, too, to use up very ripe bananas. Love food, hate waste.

Banana Bread
Source: Betty Crocker's Cookbook, copyright General Mills 2001, page 50
Lowfat (supposedly)

Ingredients
1 1/4 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter or stick margarine
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C. mashed very ripe bananas (3 medium)
1/2 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 C. chopped nuts, if desired (I didn't desire)

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°. Grease bottoms of only of 2x 8-inch loaf pans or 1x 9-inch loaf pans with shortening (I simply sprayed a 9-inch pan with vegetable oil).
2. Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Stir in bananas, buttermilk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts (if using). Divide batter evenly between pans if using 2 8-inch pans (I used a 9-inch pan).
3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack.
4. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

I don't think our loaf will last beyond tomorrow...