I haven't actually made anything for Recipe Wednesday in weeks, right after Ashley got here the weather was really cool and we baked a ton. Today it was close to 90 and there was no way I was turning my oven on.
With the weather being warm off and on I bet your bananas are ripening faster than you had anticipated. What great timing that todays recipe includes ripe bananas. It will also be our last recipe from The Martha Stewart Baking Handbook, maybe not forever but at least for this summer.
Banana Nut Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups ripe mashed banana (about 3 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup (about 4 ounces) walnuts or pecans, toasted and finely chopped (optional)
nonstick cooking spray
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Spray two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the eggs, sugar and vegetable oil on medium-low speed until combined. Beat in the flour mixture. Add in vanilla, banana, buttermilk and optional coconut and nuts. Beat just to combine.
4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans to cook completely. Bread can be kept well wrapped at room temperature for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.
Notes:
As you can see from the pics I made my two loaves into three, one standard size and two minis. Why? I only have one standard size pan and didn't feel like trekking to my moms house to borrow another. I had another one at some point, it might still be in Hawaii. Or California. Or a highway in Oregon.
I dislike coconut. Tim dislikes nuts. He dislikes bananas more but I didn't remember that until after the fact and besides, all I had were almonds. Ashley thought almonds in banana bread might be odd. I think she is odd.
Oddness aside, the bread was yummy and we all enjoyed it (except Tim, but he doesn't count) for breakfast and look forward to eating the two loaves that I stowed in the freezer as soon as we work our way through the 8 dozen english muffins that someone thought were a good idea. Ahem...
