This Blog is Not for Diane!!

Don't read it Diane! I'm warning you right now. The pictures alone will probably make you woozy. My friend Diane, for those who don't know her, has as big an aversion to bananas as I do to oranges. For everyone else, this Banana Bread is A.Maze.Ing! Probably the best I've ever made or had.

Start out by taking a non-stick loaf pan. Butter and flour the bottom and sides well. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.



Banana bread is one of those things I make when I have overripe bananas. (Look away Diane!)




I happen to have had four of them. The recipe (which I believe is from Cook's Illustrated) calls for three bananas, but using four only made it better in my opinion. So take your bananas, peel and then mash them up well.



Leave them a little lumpy though. You don't want them smooth or you might as well just use baby food! To the bananas, add 2 eggs (beaten), 6 Tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of buttermilk.



In another bowl, mix your dry ingredients: 2 cups of all purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts (Nick's crazy for nuts so I often add more, this being no exception. I probably used 3/4 cup or even more), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.



Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and gently fold the mixture until the flour is thoroughly moistened.



Then pour the mixture into your prepared loaf pan.


Bake for 45-50 minutes.

YUM!






Now, in the interest of full disclosure I have to admit that I got the whole thing into the loaf pan and had forgotten to add the eggs. How did I do such a thing? Well I blame Madonna. No not the singer. My friend Madonna happened to call me while I was making the bread and I lost track of the ingredients. Luckily for me, after putting it in the loaf pan I looked down at the recipe and realized I did not add the eggs. So I took it out of the loaf pan, back into the bowl and mixed in the eggs. The bread was no worse for the wear!

This bread is really moist and delicious. I think though, if I were to change anything it would be to add some nutmeg. Otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing!

Ingredient List:

Dry:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet:
2 large eggs, beaten
6 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt)
3 ripe bananas, mashed