Let’s just get this little fact out of the way to start with, I don’t like bananas.  So you may be asking yourself “Why is she cooking with the darn things then?”.  Well, I have a husband who adores them and the latest hand of bananas got a little too ripe for his liking.  Although sometimes I think he leaves them on the counter too long just so I’ll bake him a batch of banana bread.  Sneaky, I know, but I really hate to throw perfectly good food away when it can be transformed into something else.  This is Jeff’s favorite banana bread recipe out of all the ones that I have tried.  If you don’t have or don’t like whole wheat flour feel free to use 2 cups of all-purpose flour.  Melted butter can also be substituted for the oil which will add a nice richness to the bread.

3 large ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 large eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9-x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, using a fork, mash the bananas.  You should have about 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and nuts.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and stir in the brown sugar, canola oil and milk.  Add the dry ingredients in 3 batches alternately with the bananas, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Stir each addition gently with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are incorporated.  Your batter should be slightly lumpy.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.  Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack and let the banana bread cool completely before slicing.

makes 10-12 servings

adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking by Chuck Williams, ed.