BLUE RIBBON BANANA BREAD

I hope y'all like banana bread. I often seem to have ripe bananas left whenever I buy bananas and banana bread is my favorite "banana" thing to make. It doesn't hurt that there are so many recipes out there for banana bread. Everyone seems to be just a little bit difference so I always decide to try a new one.

Recently our younger son Patrick came over to see why the truck wasn't running and brought the kiddoes. I knew he was coming over but not when and I had just started mixing up this Blue Ribbon Banana Bread recipe when Madison and Tyler came in. Of course, they wanted to help. We had a fun time in the kitchen and made some quite tasty banana bread. Even though I think most banana breads should be wrapped up until the second day before you eat it, the kids couldn't wait. Madison ate her piece, Tyler's piece (he doesn't really eat much in the way of sweets, etc), and then wanted to take some home with them when they left. I will be sharing some pictures of them at the end of the post.

This Blue Ribbon Banana Bread recipe was from my Kitchen-Klatter Cookbook and was the first one listed in the Quick Breads section. Even though there was no added commentary with the recipe, the name couldn't help but catch my attention.

BLUE RIBBON BANANA BREAD

2/3       cup sugar
1/3       cup shortening
1/2       teaspoon Kitchen-Klatter butter flavoring (sorry had to use just regular butter flavoring)
2          eggs
3         tablespoons sour milk or buttermilk (I did use the buttermilk)
1          cup mashed bananas
1          teaspoon Kitchen-Klatter banana flavoring (I omitted)
2         cups flour, sifted
1          teaspoon baking powder
1/2      teaspoon soda
1/2      teaspoon salt
1/2      cup English walnuts, chopped (I omitted because of Tyler's nut allergy)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan. (I used one 8-1/2 x 4-1/2".)

Cream the sugar, shortening, butter flavoring, and eggs together thoroughly.

Stir in the milk, bananas, and banana flavoring. (If you do not have sour milk or buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon vinegar to enough sweet milk to make the 3 tablespoons needed.)

Sift the dry ingredients together and beat into the batter. Lastly, fold in the nuts.

Pour into loaf pan. Let stand in the pan at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. (This improves the texture of the bread.)

Bake for 50 minutes.

Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Madison adding the mashed banana.

I wish I could have gotten a picture of Tyler sifting the flour. He was so cute turning the handle on the sifter. I had to hold the sifter with both hands because he was turning it so hard. That didn't leave me a free hand to take the picture. I should have had Madison take a picture but didn't think of it.

Madison wanted to help with cleanup so I had her wash while I dried.

Tyler afterwards.

They had fun swinging before it was time to go home.