banana bread

When Josh and I got on a banana bread kick last Spring and I found myself scouring the grocery shelves for overly ripe bananas.  On one such trip, there were NO ripe bananas to be found, so I walked away with fairly fresh, yellow fruit.  Despite my best intentions of waiting for the bananas to ripen a few days, I gave into the pressure from my sweet hubby and found myself making my usual recipe with the still VERY yellow bananas.  45 minutes later I held my breath while Josh performed a taste test... lo and behold the bread turned out great!  The bread was a little less sweet (the riper the banana, the sweeter the bread), but I made up for this with some brown sugar sprinkled on the top of the bread while it baked.  I was so relieved to know that I could make banana bread on a moment's notice and not have to wait for my bananas to fully ripen.  So, next time a craving hits, grab some yellow bananas and bake up a loaf of banana bread- you won't be sorry!

my secret ingredients- yellow bananas and brown sugar!
also, don't mind the spider looking thing on the countertop...
it is a reflection from the chandelier in our dining room!

Banana Bread  (Recipe adapted from Addie's Kitchen Favorites.)

Ingredients:

• 1 C. sugar
• 1/4 C. butter, softened
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1/4 C. milk
• 1/4. C. sour cream
• 2 egg whites
• 2 C. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• Brown sugar (if you use yellow bananas...or if you just want to make your bread sweeter!

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar together until they are fluffy.  (This process should take 3-4 minutes.)  Add the bananas, milk and sour cream and mix well.

3.  Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl and set aside.

4.  In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Slowly add flour mixture to the banana mixture until combined.  Add vanilla.

5.  Fold the egg whites into the batter.  (Do not over mix here- it will make the bread tough.)

6.  Pour batter into a greased bread pan and sprinkle the top of the bread with brown sugar.

7.  Bake for 45-55 minutes.

Enjoy!

xo,