Monday, January 7, 2013

Banana Nut Bread

I have always been a banana fan!  I always liked that they were so easy to pick up and go.  Now husband John is not so much a fan.  He will only eat a banana if it is green and hard and very rarely.  Oh, he is missing so much!  However, when I find that I have what he calls old bananas, I throw any that are not being eaten fast enough into a bag that I keep in the freezer.  Then, ta da!  I make Banana Bread with them, when the mood strikes me.  John really likes Banana Bread.  The recipe that I use for Banana Nut Bread came from one of those special family cookbooks that was made up to share favorite family recipes.  It is The Lynch Family Favorites cookbook compiled by my mother in law's family years ago.  She was Cleo Margaret Lynch Lutzow.  The recipe was submitted by Margaret Lynch Erdmann and was originally called Aunt Kathleen's Banana Bread.  Over the years I have made very few changes in this recipe.  I did put in the part about combining the baking soda with the milk to make sour milk and I add the cinnamon and sugar mixture to the top of the bread before I cook it.  This is because I think it looks pretty and I like it that way.  I hope you enjoy this easy and tasty quick bread as much as my family has.



                                    BANANA NUT BREAD
                                         (Aunt Kathleen’s)  
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour milk (add 1 teaspoon baking soda to regular milk)
2 cups flour
3 ripe bananas, mashed (use med. to large bananas)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, course chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and sugars with mixer until light.  Add beaten eggs.  Add the milk/soda mixture.  Stir in flour, bananas and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in the chopped nuts.  spray and flour a loaf pan.  Fill pan 1/2 to 3/4 full - I like to sprinkle a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon on the top before baking.  Bake for approximately 1 hour - test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into bread, when the toothpick comes out clean the bread is done.  If you are like me and are using smaller loaf pans, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. 

Remove bread from loaf pan and wrap it in a paper towel to cool.
Wrap loaves in plastic wrap to store.  These loaves freeze well. 

This recipe makes 1 loaf.  I usually use the aluminum pans from the store to make my breads.  They are easy, throw away and a little smaller than a true loaf pan.  I get 1 of the aluminum regular size loaves and 2 of those smaller, individual size loaves from one batch of this recipe.  

6 comments:

John said...

Each time I go to the freezer, I keep eyeing several loaves of banana nut bread. That banana nut bread is so good but I know better than to mess with it. If it was cookies, it would be easier! This is one of my all time favorites when I was growing up!

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmmm! That looks like the one my mom used to make. It called for buttermilk, but the sour milk with soda worked just as well. You are such a good cook!!!
<3
Dianne

Anonymous said...

Pat I had 3 RIPE bananas sitting on the counter when I read this! Great minds on the same wave length. Paul and I are both green banana eaters, so love the recipe for using the ripe ones. Tell John he can try to sneak a slice by taking it out of the middle and re-wrapping it. That is what Paul would do! Carol

Pat Dyer Lutzow said...

hahaha John! Dianne, I never have buttermilk in the house so this is a trick I have used for years. Everyone should have a friend like you! Carol, don't give John any ideas! He gets enough on his own. Nice to see you out there. Enjoy the recipe.

Millie said...

Love Banaana Nut Bread, yum. Pat, you can buy dried buttermilk powder and then will have it when you need it, just add water. I get mine from Raley's. Works good in my coffee cake. Thanks for the recipe!

Pat Dyer Lutzow said...

Millie, I tried the dried buttermilk. I forgot it was in the pantry and when I went to use it, well, it was a rock. I find that mixing the baking soda is easy for me. Old dog - you know!