Banana Walnut Bread

Kevin eats bananas every day, if we have them. It's a rarity that I get to make banana bread. He has been so busy lately, that he's not eaten the bananas and now they are brown.
What else is there to do with quickly-ripening/over-ripe bananas than to make banana bread? Smoothies? Freeze them and make ice cream? Well, Kevin loves banana bread, and I always try to give him what he wants. 

There's nothing complicated about banana bread. This recipe makes two 8x4 loaves. Grease and flour the pans first. Then, set your oven to 325 degrees. This baby is going to cook for an hour (check at 45 minutes. Use the toothpick method at that point to see if it's cooked through). I experimented with a 4x4x13 Pullman loaf pan. I didn't use the lid. Since the loaf was so long, I cooked it for a full hour and fifteen minutes. 

Chop walnuts. If you don't like nuts in your bread, leave them out. You can also be a little adventurous and chop your walnuts super small. You won't feel them in your mouth, but you'll get the taste. Sometimes, it's just a texture thing. Remove them to a bowl.

In the same food processor, blend bananas to make them smooth. I don't like chunky bananas in my bread. You could choose to mash them with a fork if you like chunks in yours.

Sift your dry ingredients into a bowl.

Add wet ingredients and mix well.It will be thick and airy. Perfect.

Add bananas and walnuts. Mix it up.

Cook at 325 for 45 minutes. Poke a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, it's cooked. If it doesn't, it still needs to cook. Pop it back into the oven and check every ten minutes until it's done.

Cool on a rack for twenty minutes before turning it out of the pan. Cool completely on a rack.

Slice and enjoy. Did you know that TCM states that walnuts are brain food? They are kind of shaped like brains if you're looking for it. If you don't like walnuts, try the fine grind. It's a good way to eat a super-nutritious food without knowing it. Kevin is going to slather his with butter, but this bread is so moist it doesn't need it. He just likes butter 😋. On everything.

• 3 C all-purpose flour
• 1 t salt
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 1/4 C sugar

• 3 eggs
• 1 C oil (I use olive)
• 3 t vanilla extract (yes 3!)

• 3 ripe/over-ripe bananas
• 1 C walnuts, chopped