Banana Bread

For me, this Banana Bread is a treat.

It takes a while to get a batch of bananas to become "banana bread ready," so in that regard, it takes some forethought and preparation.  I kinda tend to do things a little more on the fly.. BUT this is one exception.  It also uses a lot of dishes and I don't like doing dishes.  BUT in the end, when you're eating dairy/soy free... the effort put in here is worth it.  It's a yummy, filling treat and you don't feel like you're eating pretend food.  It's REAL, actually tasty, banana bread! 

. . .

Ingredients:
2 cups of All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil (may substitute 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 ripe (really ripe-- covered in brown spots, ripe) bananas, mashed (I use a potato masher)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. water (you can use Milk or SILK if you wish-- it's just as good with water, though!)

• ***Note*** I've tried this recipe with several different "ages" of bananas-- green, yellow, yellow with some spots, yellow with mostly brown spots and black-- the best banana bread is made with bananas that are yellow with mostly brown spots-- the more they ripen, the sweeter the bananas get, and the better the banana bread tastes-- If all you have is green bananas, or even yellow-- make something OTHER than banana bread! :) Or wait to make the banana bread. I usually buy about 15 bananas and by the time we've gone through the first 10-11, the rest are plenty covered in spots enough to make some tasty banana bread!

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Stir flour, soda, baking powder and salt together. (Sift if you wish to remove clumps-- I don't always do this because it messes up another item to wash, but sometimes, if I'm feeling extra-snappy, I'll sift.
Set aside dry ingredients.
Combine oil and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat in the two (already beaten) eggs, thoroughly squished bananas (no chunks), vanilla and water.
Add the flour mixture until just combined. (Don't mix it up too much--)

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake until toothpick insersted into the center comes out dry (about 1 hour and 10 min.). *Sometimes it looks as if the top is getting burnt before the inside is done, but if you take it out too early the inside of the bread will not be done*

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.



A note about storage...
I like to keep mine in a long rectangular "ziploc" brand disposable tupperware.  It fits in there nicely :)  And then I throw a piece of press and seal saran wrap over the top to keep it fresh and moist.  (The crown of the loaf is too high for the tupperware lid.)  I also always cut the very end slice and leave it in the container, pressed up against the loaf, so that it holds the moisture in on the slices as we eat through the loaf. 

Yummmmmmy in my dairy/soy free tummy!!! :)