Banana Bread

Yes, I know, there is nothing easier or more simple than Banana Bread. But sometimes we want to just have something easy and satisfying. As a beginner cook this is one of the things my mother would let me make.

With 5 kids and sometimes their friends, our house was a loud mass of unruly children. After school we all came home hungry. Most of the time it was a bowl of cereal or a sandwich for us. Occasionally there would be cookies left from the weekend baking. By Thursday or Friday we were down to Jeff's favorite sandwich, (if you are squeamish don't read this) mayo and ketchup. I would watch in awe as he would make and eat it. But with 5 kids and not a lot of money we made do with what was there.

Weekend baking was a treat for me. Mom would make homemade bread and fill the house with delectable smells. Sometimes she would make up a batch of sweet dough and have me put together cinnamon rolls. That was the treat of all treats. Mom didn't like the mess and time involved in making the rolls but I really enjoyed it. I guess the reward of having everyone eat them as soon as they could from the oven was enough for me. (I'm drooling and need to grab a towel.)

I digress. Baking on the weekends might include banana bread. With nuts or without, all of us would eat it. It never lasted long either. In fact one time I wanted to make some for a boyfriend. I had to make 2 batches of bread and hide one loaf just to have some to try and impress my boyfriend with. If my memory serves me, he liked it.

Banana Bread

Combine:
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Mashed Bananas (the blacker the better)
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Pure Vanilla
1 Cup Buttermilk or Sour Cream

In a separate bowl, combine:
2 2/3 Cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom

Whisk or sift the dry ingredients together. Then stir into the wet ingredients just till moistened. Add a cup of chopped walnuts if you want nuts.

Spray a 9X5 loaf pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into the pan and bake in a 350 degree, preheated, oven. Bake for about an hour. Check at 45 minutes. If it's getting too brown on top tent with foil. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Try not to slice into this until it has at least cooled enough to handle. Spread it with a little butter and enjoy.