Banana Nut Bread

Like most fruit breads, this is a quick bread, so called because it doesn't use yeast to make the dough rise.  The most important thing to remember about quick breads is that when you grease the pan, you only grease the bottom.  If you grease the sides the bread doesn't have anything to grab onto as it rises, and you'll wind up with very flat bread.

Assemble your ingredients while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the upper left corner is the pan (with the bottom only greased).  Going clockwise from there is a measuring cup with the mashed bananas.  You need 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas, which is about 3 or 4 bananas, depending on their size.  Next is 1 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of margarine (softened), 1/3 cup of water, 1 2/3 cups of flour, 2 eggs and 1/2 cup chopped nuts.  I used pecans, but walnuts work just as well.  The small bowl in the lower center portion of the picture is the spices.  I put them all in one bowl, and it includes 1 tsp of baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.

Mix together the sugar and butter until well blended.  Stir in the eggs.  When mixed thoroughly, add the bananas and water and beat for 30 seconds.  Add all the other ingredients except the nuts and mix until moistened.  Don't mix longer than this.  Finally, stir in the nuts.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake and 8-inch loaf for one hour fifteen minutes.  A 9-inch loaf will take 55 to 60 minutes.  You'll know it's done when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for five minutes, then loosen the sides and remove the pan.  Allow it to cool completely before slicing.  It will slice easier if it's cooled.  If you want to eat it while it's still warm, you might not get clean slices, but it will taste just as good.

Bon appetit!