At approximately 3:30pm every single day, I turn to my co-worker Alicia and say, “THIS DAY NEEDS MORE BAKED GOODS!” But because I am lazy, or possibly focused on super important things like watching the saddest video of Amy Winehouse or how that 16-year-old person engaged to that creepy guy from LOST is most definitely not 16 and might not even be a female or how badly I want to own this Miguelina dress. When Alicia cannot provide the baked goods to satisfy my cravings, I text message my husband and tell him how badly I need banana bread. (Some couples do the sexting thing…I do the dessert thing. Don’t judge.)
And then I eat rice cakes. And dream of banana bread.
Sometimes, my husband shows up at my office with a fresh banana bread. I realize it’s probably only because he wants me to be more popular at work and everyone knows that the best way to win friends is with delicious sugar and carby goodness (and not with salad, Lisa Simpson.)
But sometimes, there are only undelicious and unsatisfying rice cakes. Even the white cheddar ones are not interesting enough for my stomach.
BUT.
Alas! I have a hidden superpower. I am really, really great at buying too many bananas. If our family will eat 8 in a week, I buy 14. If they will eat 12, I buy 20. It’s because I have ulterior motives, obviously. Because…do you know what you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to do with browning bananas?
Aunt Mary’s Banana Bread
Adapted from Granny’s Kitchen. Please note: I do not have an Aunt Mary and I do not even have a Granny. And yet, this is an secret old family recipe, and, by far, the best one I have ever tasted. And because I am a giver, today I am sharing it with you.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional…but honestly, they are really only optional if you happen to NOT have any chocolate chips in your house. I’m just saying.)
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs and mashed bananas. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour into greased 9×5 loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
You can just feel me getting more popular now, can’t you?
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