If your husband is anything like mine, he demands that you buy bananas every time you’re at the store, and then he eats one and leaves the rest to ferment on the counter until they’re a lovely shade of splotchy yellowish-brown. I’ve discovered why he does this- he’s not apathetic about yellow fruit…he just wants me to make banana bread.

And honestly, after you try this recipe (which is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Bridal Edition), you won’t be able to blame him for it. It is SO rich and moist and heavy…mmm. And since there are bananas in it, it counts as health food. Snack away!

Recipe:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

3 or 4 medium bananas, smashed

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil or margarine, softened

Optional- chocolate chips or chopped nuts to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Mix all the dry ingredients (except the sugar) together, and set aside. Mix together the sugar, eggs, oil/margarine, and bananas. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, and slowly pour in the wet ingredients. Then, with a fork, mix until JUST blended. Don’t overdo it! It should be lumpy. Then, if you wish, mix in the chocolate chips or nuts or what have you. Pour into a loaf pan (you know…the regular kind of size. Pan dimensions always confuse me) and bake for 40-50 minutes. Basically, depending on the size of your pan, start with the shortest amount of time and increase it from there, depending on if your toothpick comes out clean.

*VARIATIONS*

If I want this to be really dessert-y, then I use the entire cup of sugar, and add a tablespoon or so of vanilla extract, and a ton of chocolate chips. (And the more banana you include, the moister it should be).  However- if you want to make it a little easier on your waistline and more nutritious, then only use 1/4 cup of sugar, and substitute the remaining 3/4 with applesauce. It’s naturally sweet, and much healthier. And delicious. I also use 1 cup of regular white all-purpose flour, and 1 cup all-purpose wheat flour. Enjoy!

Ohhhh yeah baby!