Another From Hellish Kitchens...a.k.a. Mine

I have a reputation.

I love to buy fruit.

And while I can't eat most of it due to allergies, I love that my kids can get all the wonderful vitamins and minerals that fresh fruit offers.

Okay, so that's not a bad thing, right? Not something important enough to get a "reputation" from.

That's not the actual problem, though.

I love that the fruit is available for the kids to eat with their meals or for snacks.

But sometimes...I forget that we have it.

And when that happens, it dies, and we feel really wasteful if we have to throw it out.

Recently, I perused allrecipes.com for a good banana bread recipe. (Have I mentioned how much I love that site?) And voila! I give you the following recipe, great for when you don't have any eggs or milk in the house...or if you're on a dairy-free diet.

Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup shortening 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup mashed ripe bananas

DIRECTIONS:

Note: This recipe does NOT contain eggs or milk. In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening for about 5 minutes (mixture does not get smooth). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with bananas, beating after each addition (the batter will be thick). Spoon into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread tests done with a toothpick. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

I've made it three times, and every time has been awesome!!

Seriously.

We've eaten the entire loaf in one meal.

I use margarine for the shortening and cook it for about 10 minutes longer (but that's my oven). Some of the reviewers offer some good suggestions. But I would just make it from the original recipe the first time and see what you think and where you might tweak it.

It's a great way to use up "old" bananas...and keep from getting a "reputation."