Banana Bread

This one is from Karen and "Mrs. Field's Cookie Book". I thought I had a good banana bread recipe until I tried this one. Now I find myself buying bananas every week and shooing my kids away from their usual snack so there will be enough for the bread recipe. Backwards? Probably. But it's that good. I butter two slices, stick them together, and freeze them in plastic wrap and I have an easy snack or breakfast or treat for Brian's lunch that's ready to go. I also LOVE this done with whole wheat.

1 1/2 sticks butter, soft

1 1/2 c brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 c mashed bananas - about 7 medium

2 1/2 c flour or whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c nuts *optional

chocolate chips *optional

Cream butter and sugar well. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mashed bananas. Sift together dry ingredients and add to wet, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in nuts and/or chocolate chips. Divide evenly into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes. Let cool slightly in pans then turn out on a rack to cool (may need to use a plastic knife to run around the edges first).

Dana's note: I find this recipe to be very forgiving on time. I once forgot about it in the oven and baked it about 20 minutes extra...it was crustier but still really good...perhaps that could also be tribute to Karen's awesome loaf pans that I like to borrow? Thanks K! I actually like it taken further than normal because the brown sugar tastes so nice that way. Try using whole wheat flour that's ground slightly on the coarse side, yum!