Practically Perfect in Every Way

Banana bread is a tricky thing. It can easily be too dry, too rich or too strong in one flavor or another. But after nearly a week away from home, the Hayley House bananas were looking a little worse for wear.

As The Boy said: You're going to have to do something with those bananas. Make bread or something.

If only it was so easy.

But I turned to an old favorite cookbook - one I can hardly believe that I've not "officially" blogged about before - The AmeriKen Kitchen Cookbook.

I purchased this gem while living in Kenya and it's full of wonderful recipes, not only because they're good church-women cooking recipes (come on - have you ever had a bad church meal?), but they are also full of basic tips for cooking healthy foods from scratch. This was practical for life in Kenya and, in the oddities of the way our lives constantly change, is applicable to living in a Slow Food world.

Wouldn't you know? This 101 list recipe turned out to be our new favorite banana bread recipe. Simple, easy, moist but not rich, tasty but not sweet. Give it a try!

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

• 1/2 c butter or margarine
• 1/2-1 c sugar (I used a heaping 1/2 c)
• 2 eggs
• 1 c mashed bananas
• 1 c flour
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/3 c hot water
• 1/2 c chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Combine butter and sugar. Add eggs and bananas. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture, alternately with hot water. Stir in nuts. Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake at 350F for 70 minutes or until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean.