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banana bread recipe

thought i’d share my banana bread recipe on here. i made 4 loaves yesterday ( =1 full recipe) and remembered to take a picture. i love this recipe because it’s super easy to make, and it’s healthy, so i don’t mind the kids having a slice or two for breakfast or a snack throughout the day. micah actually had it for dinner last night, after he woke up from this accidental nap: 002 he had been impatiently waiting to be able to eat some during the whole time it was baking and had a full-out, fall on the floor, hysterical fit when i wouldn’t slice them up the second the loaves were out of the oven. then he fell asleep.

i got this recipe from my dad and i have no idea where he got it, so i can’t give appropriate credit where it is due.

anyway, here’s the recipe (with my inevitable variations noted):

  • 6 VERY ripe, mashed bananas
  • 2 cups sugar (or less if you desire)
  • 1 cup oil (or applesauce)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt (or plain + a little vanilla extract and honey)
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 4 cups flour (i do either half white and half whole wheat OR, 1 white and 3 whole wheat)

i beat the bananas in a large bowl with a handmixer first and then add the rest of the wet ingredients, then the dry. mix well. if you have 4 loaf pans, you’re lucky. use them all. i only have 2, so i divide the batter roughly in half and bake them in shifts. grease the pans with oil and bake at 350-360* for 40 –45 minutes. i know that’s vague, but i’ve found that getting them done w/out being too brown on the edges varies from oven to oven. basically, when a toothpick comes out clean, they’re done and if the tops are getting too brown, put some foil over them. cool on a rack. you can also add things like raisins, nuts or chocolate chips, if you so desire.004 of course, if you only want to make 2 loaves, you can easily half the recipe, or if you happen to only have 3 bananas! ;)

i like to make the full recipe when i can because we go through it so fast. i wrap 2 in plastic wrap and foil and then freeze them. i don’t bother freezing the third because a loaf only lasts about a day around here. i made these yesterday afternoon and we’ve already killed one loaf and cut into the second.

note about the bananas: i used to find it difficult to get 6 excessively ripe bananas at the same time, which is how i wound up halving the recipe in the first place. then i started freezing my bananas as soon as they started turning brown. i would peel them and put them in a freezer bag. then i got lazy and started just tossing them in the freezer, peel and all. this actually works out much better! they’re kind of hard (and unpleasant) to peel when they’re frozen, but i discovered that if you run them under a little warm water, the peel comes off quite easily – especially if you go from the bottom up, and it helps thaw them a little too. this way they’re not all frozen together in a big glob, which takes forever to thaw. i am able to start beating them as soon as they are all peeled and in the bowl.

as an interesting side note, i don’t actually know from personal experience if this banana bread is good or not, since i don’t care for banana bread and never eat it. i assume, however, that it is good because it disappears fast! ;)

happy baking!

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