Easy Banana Bread

I’m a creature of habit. Some may call me overly predictable because I really don’t like surprises. Think about this…for a certain milestone birthday a couple of years ago…I was privy to the details of my own “surprise birthday party”. Not only did I find out what we were having for dinner, but also who was going to be in attendance (talk about a major spoiler!). I don’t like to be caught off-guard at all. Drives me absolutely bananas (pun intended).

The recipe for this super easy and tasty banana bread was originally given to us by my Aunt Maria and really is one that I grew up with. I think the main reason that I love it so much is because I was lovingly called a banana all my life. What is this banana term you ask? Well, it’s one given to us basically stating that we are only “yellow” on the outside and “white” on the inside. Being first generation Canadian, I heard it  A LOT.

The key to this bread is using ridiculously over-ripe bananas. Now, you must be thinking – just how ripe is ridiculously over-ripe? It could be like the time they sat you beside the dude at work who stunk so bad you brought apple scented air freshener to spray the room with EVERY time he left. Errrrr, wait! That’s not right.

Let’s try this again. Pretend that you bought a bunch of bananas home from the store and then discover a week later that there is one lone one left in the fruit bowl and it’s turned completely black. I’m talking about that kind of ripe. I throw these lonely dudes into the freezer, sans skin into little sandwich sized zip-top bags (so I don’t have to freeze my hands off peeling them later), where they are ready at a moments notice for all sorts of yummy treats.

I’ve had people from DH’s work ask for these for their birthday. I mean, how crazy is that when you ask someone what they want and their answer is a dozen muffins? Weird…but super tasty.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour (I use 1-1/2 cups white, and 1/2 cup whole wheat)
3 ripe bananas
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional, but how can you turn down chocolate?)
walnuts (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pan.
3. Mix all ingredients together, adding chocolate and nuts (if using) last.
4. Pour into pan.
5. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centre of loaf comes out clean.

* When making muffins, I bake in a 400F oven for 20 minutes.