Best Banana-Nut Bread Ever

Can you smell the wonderful aroma from the oven??
It fills the house with warmth & love....Homemade
Bread always brings the family to the kitchen.
Whether it's White, Pumpkin, Cinnamon, or
Cranberry bread...it tastes as good as it smells..

Today it's Banana-Nut Bread...(It's a great way
to use up bananas that might be too ripe for eating)

Tip: When you have bananas that are too ripe..
just put them in a baggie, then a brown paper bag
& into the freezer they go, until you are ready to
make Banana Bread.

This is a wonderful recipe that was given to
me years ago...by a wonderful lady in our ward..
Bonnie. Thank you so much Bonnie...After tasting
this banana bread I don't use any other recipe...
It's that good!!!! Try it...& see if you don't agree.

RECIPE
3/4 c. butter or margarine (room temp)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. mashed banana
2 eggs (well beaten)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. walnuts (chopped)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 325F.
In a mixer creme butter & sugar together. On
a slow speed..Add mashed bananas..add
well beaten eggs, vanilla, flour (a little at a time)
baking soda, buttermilk, & walnuts...continue until
well blended. Take a ladle or lg. Tbsp. & put batter
into small loaf pans. (Makes about 7 sm. loaves)

I have a Martha Stewart sm. loaf pan (that I love)
It bakes 8 sm. loaves at one time. It's one of my
Favorite Kitchen Items...I got it @ Kmart..

Bake for 20-30 min (depending on your oven)
watch & check for doneness (when middle of loaf
bounces back when touched it's done) SEE BELOW:

Tip: You can use regular buttermilk (from a
carton) or what I use is dry buttermilk (it comes
in a paper type 12oz. small canister (in the baking
section) in the the market. It last for years..it might
get stuck together in little rocks (after a couple yrs.)
but you just use the water/buttermilk measurement
on the package for how much you want & blend it in
a blender for a couple seconds..I love it cause I never
have to run to the store for buttermilk.
Your home now will be filled with the wonderful
aroma of Banana-Nut Bread. I think the reason
for the melt in your mouth deliciousness
of this bread is the buttermilk....Try it &
let me know what you think...Enjoy!!!

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

If you are anything like me, you find you have a lot
of bananas that never seem to get eaten up fast
enough before they get a little TOO RIPE. That's
where having a selection of recipes that need
bananas comes in handy...& maybe your tired of the
same old banana recipes (however I have one that
is fabulous & hope to share it with you closer to the
holidays)

Helpful Tip: You can put any over ripe bananas
in your freezer and use them when you are ready)
Make sure you peel them before you freeze
them..Then when you are ready to use them...
put them in the microwave for about 30-45 sec.
(depending on how many you have to defrost)
and mash them up....Really easy....


This one my daughter sent me, that she found on the
Internet....There are quite a few out there.....
The original comes from a magazine called Cooking
Pleasures....& this on is from the Sister's Cafe...
She told me she thought they tasted like the Big
Beautiful Chocolate Muffins from Costco....
She loved them....

If you like chocolate, with the taste of banana
bread, and some chocolaty chips thrown in
for good measure..then I think you might like these.

The Recipe says it makes 1 lg. loaf...but I prefer
to make 8 smaller loaves ( so I can give them to
friends & neighbors) It would be a great after-school
treat (for the kids) along with some milk as well.....

In making 8 smaller loaves I get to use one of my
"Favorite Kitchen Items"......My "8 small
loaves at once pan"......I think it was a Martha
Stewart pan that I found at Kmart.....
(SEE PHOTO BELOW)

I use this pan a lot....Especially with all the
Holiday Baking which I do for the "Santa's
Gift Shoppe Boutique," as well as my own
family holiday baking....(which I do a lot of)

Recipe
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 1/4 c. mashed bananas
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350F. Spray loaf (8x4) or loaves pan
with cooking spray.

Beat sugar, eggs, & oil in large bowl at medium speed
until combined. Beat in banana & vanilla at low speed.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt in a
medium bowl; beat into banana mixture at low speed
just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into pan. For 1 loaf bake approx. 60-70
min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes
out clean. Cool 10 min. Remove from pan; Cool
completely on a wire rack.

******If you are using an 8 loaf pan (like

I was) then only have the bread in the oven

approx. 15-20 minutes (each oven is

different) so keep watch on them so they

don't burn....& check them with a toothpick.