Banana Bread

Maybe it's all that is going on in my life, or maybe because it is fall, or some of both that is making me crave baking. Baking has always been such a soothing, zen-like activity that it calms me. So this afternoon, I baked Jeni's Banana Bread and Ilva's Prune Cake (go to June 2007 for her recipe), the former for my husband and the latter for me.

What does Banana Bread have to do with Italy, travel, Italian food and wine? Nothing, absolutely nothing. It does, however, fall into my category of "other things that make up la bella vita." I suppose there is one thing Italian about Banana Bread, my Italian husband is addicted to it, so much so that I make it at least twice a month. When we eat something that frequently, it had better be fairly healthy, or I won't make it. Over the years, I have developed a recipe that suits our tastes and is much healthier than the average version. I hope you will like it.

Jeni's Banana Bread
makes one loaf

2 eggs

3 Tbsp. softened butter

3 Tbsp. light olive oil

1/4 cup honey or sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

4 very ripe bananas

1 cup white flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a loaf pan with buttered parchment paper (this part is optional, but it never sticks this way!)

Beat eggs in a large bowl with the butter and oil. Add the honey or sugar and the vanilla. Mix in the bananas. Add the 1 cup of white flour and stir. Add the salt, baking soda and baking powder and stir. Stir in the wheat flour and nuts. Do not over stir. Pour batter in prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into middle comes out dry and the top of the loaf is golden brown. Remove from pan immediately and cool on a rack.

Be creative and experiment: use other nuts, add coconut, add dried fruit, etc.

NB: When we have very ripe bananas, I throw them in the freezer (just as they are, do not wrap.) Then when I need to bake this bread, I take four of them out and they thaw in about one hour. They turn black in the freezer and look ugly, but I assure you the ripe fruit is perfect inside.