Bananas, Bananas

Pin It My weekly grocery shopping day is Monday.  I like to hit the supermarkets when the weekly flyers first come out so I can grab the deals and coupon items before they are all gone!

While shopping on Monday, one of our supermarkets had organic bananas wrapped in cellophane at a greatly reduced price since they were past their prime.  Great price....a little over 3 pounds for $1.34.  I grabbed some, thinking of fresh, hot, homemade banana bread.  Yummy!

Wanting to use them all up at once, I had enough bananas for four loaves.  I didn't have a bowl big enough so I had to use my stock pot to mix all the batter!

I have a standard banana bread recipe that I have used for the last 20 years and love it.  It produces a rich, dark banana bread with lots of flecks that I can switch up a bit if I so desire.

Banana Bread



Butter or margarine                                  1/2 cup
Granulated sugar                                      1 cup
Eggs                                                          2
Mashed very ripe bananas (3 medium)    1 cup

All purpose flour                                        1 3/4 cups
Baking soda                                              1 tsp
Baking powder                                          1/2 tsp
Salt                                                            1/2 tsp
Chopped walnuts (optional)
or Mini chocolate chips                             1 cup

Cream butter and sugar together.  Beat in eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.  Add mashed bananas and blend in.

In second bowl, stir flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt and nuts/chocolate chips.  Add to banana mixture stirring only to moisten.  Transfer to greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.  Bake in 350F oven for about 1 hour until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and place on cake rack to cool.  Wrap to store. 

Yield: 1 loaf

I have also added pecans sprinkled on top or 3/4 cup of raisins to the recipe.  Almost anything! 

To mix these up a bit, two had chocolate chips added and two had almonds sprinkled on top....yummy!  Once baked, I threw one of each into the freezer and will take them to my son Lucas when I visit him at the end of the month.  He will love that.  It will be great for our picnic in his first apartment, right Mom?!

Remember to give your loved ones a hug!