Banana (Nut) Bread

One of the easiest things to bake has got to be Banana Bread. You can make it with or without nuts. I like mine with nuts, but Mike and the kids prefer it without. Sometimes if I have nuts I want to use up, I will grind them up really finely in my food processor. No one is ever the wiser.



Banana Nut Bread
1/2 cup shortening or margarine
1 C Sugar
2 Eggs
2-3 Ripe Bananas, mashed
2C Flour
1 tsp Soda
Dash of Salt
1/4 C Walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line 2 loaf pans.

Mix shortening or margarine, sugar, eggs and bananas. Sift together flour and soda. Add flour, soda, salt and nuts to banana mixture. Do not over mix. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower oven to 300 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack and wrap with plastic wrap to store.

Tips
~Using margarine rather than shortening gives this a great flavor.
~You can also use banana baby food in place of the bananas. One 4 oz. jar for each banana.
~These freeze well wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and stored in a zip-top bag.
~Kids love to help mash the bananas and sift the flour! Make sure you let them taste test!