Banana Nut Bread

Delicious any time of the day or night!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter at room temperature

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 4 eggs

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 2 cups whole wheat flour

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 5-6 ripe bananas, mashed

• 2 tsp vanilla or orange extract

• 2 tsp orange zest

• 3/4 to 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 loaf pans.

2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (Color will become lighter).

4. Beat in eggs one at a time.

5. Slowly fold in flour mixture to creamed butter mixture.

6. Stir in bananas, vanilla and nuts.

7. Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and place on cooling rack.

Makes 2 loaves.

Notes & Tips:

• I have been making this bread for over a decade and have adjusted this recipe to suite my taste.

• You can certainly use granulated sugar iso brown sugar. I have an affinity for brown sugar since I grew up knowing only brown sugar.

• Creaming brown sugar and butter takes a little longer than granulated sugar.

• If you are using large bananas, reduce to about 4. Smaller bananas use 6.

• Orange extract iso vanilla, along with the zest, brings out a nice citrusy flavor.