Banana Bread

Ingredients:

            2 cups all-purpose flour

            ¾ cup light brown sugar

            ½ cup softened butter

            1 tsp baking soda

            ¼ tsp salt

            2 large eggs

            5 large, overripe bananas

Overripe bananas:

            Some people will tell you that you can speed up the ripening process by placing bananas in a brown paper bag.  In our experience, all this accomplishes is making the bananas brown faster and has no effect on the texture or taste of the bananas.  Our recommendation, plan ahead and buy the bananas a week in advance.

Instructions:

            Preheat oven to 350°F. Whip out: 2 large bowls, 1 medium bowl, 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Step 1:

            Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Using a spatula, mix ingredients completely.

Step 2:

            Cream brown sugar and butter together in a medium bowl.  We use an electric hand mixer on medium speed and this takes about 2 minutes.

Step 3:

            In a large bowl, beat bananas until lumpy and wet.  We use a pastry cutter for this step.

            Add eggs to the bananas.  Mix until completely combined.

Finishing:

            Add butter mixture and banana mixture to the flour mixture.  Using a spatula, fold mixture until all the dry ingredients are mixed into the wet ingredients.  Do not over mix. 

            Lightly spray the 9x5 inch loaf pan.  We prefer Pam for Baking.  Pour dough into the loaf pan.  Lightly tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.

            Cook for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick or fork comes out clean.  Let stand in pan for about 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.