I’ve got this ingredient splattered recipe book I’ve been using for the past 25 years. Its actually the first of three I’ve filled. One of those journals covered in cloth with blank pages.  One stroll through it and it is very obvious which recipes have been most loved. Some of them, the more complicated (and therefore not memorized), are so badly smeared and roughed up that it is only through constant use and repetition that I can figure out the details. These books have been the hallmark of the kitchen, the backbone, if you will. Thus, I’ve been motivated to pull out my favorite core recipes and maintain an electronic library, perhaps more secure, and for all to share.

This recipe has been with me for about 30 years. It came from my friend, Sandy Miller who I lived with after college for a bit. She was a dietician who knew good food and we had fun cooking together. She also has generously supplied me with a couple of my most often baked recipes. Banana bread is one of those easy to throw together staples on the kitchen counter. It takes to creative application well. Adding or substituting…chocolate chips, lemon or orange zest, nuts, coffee, cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins etc. For me, keeping it simple works best, and no one is offended. No nuts or raisins to dig out, no complexities to confuse. Just bananas. So, it’s all about ratios in this recipe. Plenty of banana is key, usually about 3 per pan. That insures a really heavy and moist bread-also adding the yogurt cuts the really sweet ripe banana flavor and gives it a better balance. Try it as is, to appreciate it’s versatility, then explore. Maybe you’ll find one that will end up in your collection.

My girls have their own books, some more filled than others..I think there is a Brat Doll folder with someone’s chaotic aging collection, but they get the idea. Making good food to share is an incredibly fun business to be in. Cooking is love. The bottom line is that you just want to insure that there is always a good friend poking in the door,  or at the table to keep you company. Life is a challenge. It’s easier to take it on with a happy belly and a warm hand.

Banana Bread

This recipe makes one 9×5 dense loaf. Set the oven to 350. This bread takes a good 50 minutes to bake.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 1st, 2012 at 6:09 pm and is filed under Best Banana Bread. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.