Lydia's Banana Bread

I hope I'm not alone when I say that each time I go to the grocery store, I always try and grab some fresh looking fruits and vegetables. I know, I know, healthy eating. I got it! A staple I am always grabbing is a bunch of bananas. Depending on how busy our schedules are, we either eat them too fast or not fast enough. Letting them sit for too long results in THIS:

Don't throw these out!!!

This is the time when most of us throw out the spotted, overly ripe wonder fruit. DON'T DO IT!! What you see before you is the perfect opportunity to bake something insanely good. I always tell myself I will cook with the bananas and then I never do it, except for this time. I always get so disappointed with banana bread because it never has a strong banana flavor. That's the very reason we eat the bread, am I right? I don't like to use prepared mixes either because they are full of junk. I can't even pronounce most of the words. Thanks to a very generous friend of mine, Lydia, she offered up her mother's banana bread recipe. I have been such a procrastinator, and I didn't try this out till last night. Honestly, you will NOT be disappointed if you make this bread. I should've made it sooner. It's so simple. Can you get out all your ingredients, put them in a bowl, and then mix it up? You're a genius! Let's get started so you can as well.

What you will need:
- a loaf pan
- cooking spray
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 3 Tbsp butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 bananas, mashed

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray your loaf pan so your bread doesn't stick. Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl. Take all your other ingredients, measure them carefully (this is so important in baking!), and add them to your bowl. Mix everything together, and just know that your batter will be a little lumpy. 
It should look something like this:

Looks good already!

Transfer everything to your greased loaf pan, and bake in the oven for 60-65 minutes. Everyone has a different oven, so be sure to keep an eye on your dessert.

I'm already getting excited!

 Mine was fully cooked around 60 minutes. Insert a toothpick or knife into the center, and if it comes out clean, you're good to go. Check out my results!

MMMMMmmmmmm...smells heavenly! 

Now that's a good looking banana bread! Allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert it to a wire rack to continue cooling. I promise you will absolutely love this recipe. Let me know if you can wait till it's cooled off to slice a piece. I couldn't! Add a little butter and a good cup of coffee...you can thank me later! (Or Lydia!!) Hopefully you'll make this soon. It's the perfect fall treat. :-)