Banana Bread

There are a few recipes I remember my mother making growing up: shortbread cookies, magic bars, cheesy olive balls, etc.  Like many of us my mother had her go-to recipes, the ones that she had memorized, that turned out perfect every time, and that people always wanted the recipe for.  I’m proud that her banana bread is now one of those recipes for both my sister and I.
I’m not sure where the recipe came from, I think the only change my mother made over the years was the addition of chocolate chips – it was a good change. She made it for school fundraisers, potlucks, holidays; for family, friends, colleagues, everyone loved it and it was a great excuse not to eat bananas.
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas mashed
2 eggs
4 tbsp. melted butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan (not sure if you can use an insert, I haven’t tried). Mix banana, eggs, butter and sugar in a large bowl until blended well.  Sift in dry ingredients, add chocolate chips if using.  Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for approximately one hour.  Let banana bread cool in pan, then gently remove it.
Serve warm or cold, I prefer it plain, Greg and my sister, Sara, both like it with a little butter.
The smell, the taste brings me back to a time when my mom was still in the kitchen, it’s a true comfort food ~kM