Why do I buy bananas? I’m allergic to them as I said yesterday. It’s almost as if watching someone else eat them gives me pleasure vicariously.
My husband says he likes bananas but whenever I buy a bunch, firm and bright yellow and green at the tip, just before the starch turns to sweet and the sugar level goes up, they sit on the plate waiting for anyone.
Anyone? Anyone?
So I wind up making Banana Bread. Very often the Banana Bread goes to patients and caregivers at our local hospital for a biweekly Tea that our local Hadassah gives. Or my grandchildren eat it.
Smart kids.
If you’ve never had a Banana Bread baking in your kitchen you are missing one of the best home aromas of all time. It’s right up there with coffee, tomato sauce and yeast bread.
And of course, it tastes pretty good too. Here’s a recipe for you to try:
Banana Bread
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
4-5 medium bananas, very ripe
4 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-cup bundt pan. Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Place the sugar and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well blended. Add the bananas and beat them in. Add the eggs and beat them in. Add the flour mixture and beat the ingredients until well blended. Stir in the vanilla extract. Bake for about an hour or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes Invert onto a cake rack to cool completely.
Makes 12-16 servings