Banana Bread

As I sit writing this post I have a cup of coffee to my left and my tummy is grumbling. I’m waiting for Banana Blueberry Bread to come out of the oven. We picked blueberries last week so we’ve been integrating them into all sorts of things. Yesterday we had blueberry smoothies. This morning I woke up and saw the three old bananas on the counter and thought I’d whip up my great-grandma’s recipe for breakfast this morning.

My great-grandmother, who we called Nana, has gone on to be with the Lord now, but I’m certain she’d be happy to know that her recipes are used regularly to this day.

This recipe doesn’t have a special ingredient, but rather a slightly different method than most other banana bread recipes I’ve seen. I consider it a base recipe, as she encouraged add-ins. This time my add-in was 2 cups of fresh blueberries but you can add in many different things.

Nana’s Banana Bread

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups flour
• dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 over-ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• optional add-ins: nuts, blueberries, cranberries, chocolate chips, or anything else you can think of

Directions:

1. Combine shortening, sugar and eggs.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water and baking soda; mix.
3. Add flour, salt and cinnamon; beat.
4. Add mashed bananas and vanilla; mix. Add your add-in.
5. Divide into two greased loaf pans.
6. Bake in 350F degree oven for 40+ minutes. Use a toothpick to test the center to ensure that it’s cooked through. You could also lightly press your finger on the center to see if it springs back. If it does then it’s probably done but still better test it with a toothpick to be sure You may have to toss some foil over the top at the end of baking so that it doesn’t over-brown.
7. Once finished cooking, let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes before removing to cooling racks. I don’t leave them on the cooling racks long though because we like to slice it up warm.

Notes:

The original recipe calls for use of white flour and shortening. I frequently substitute these items for healthier choices, exchanging half the white flour for wheat and half the shortening for applesauce.

If you want to make this but your bananas aren’t over-ripe it can still be done. Simply mash the bananas on a plate and let them sit out for about an hour before you make the bread. You’ll notice the mashed bananas get juicier and start to brown a little. Perfect!

This recipe makes 2 loaves so I usually just toss the extra one in the freezer for another day.

Why I do what I do ~ Yesterday, I was on the porch sewing while Chloe was playing in the yard (in mud). She kept running from one side of the porch, where the mud was, to the other side, where a bowl of water was. I watched her run back and forth, chattering away with me about her animals and the mud. Then out of the blue, mid-sentence, she says, “Here Mama, I don’t need these,” as she holds her shorts and undies in the air for me – right there in the middle of the yard.Have you liked Domestic Cents on Facebook yet?

If you enjoyed this post you may want to subscribe to free updates by RSS feed or Email.

Tagged as: Bread, Recipes