Easy One-Bowl Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup shortening (butter)
• 2/3 cup sugar (white or brown) (white gives more of the "candied" effect on the crust)
• 1 to 2 eggs
• 2-3 overripe bananas
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups flour (any kind, white or whole wheat. Let me know if you do it with gluten free.)
Optional:
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F
2. Butter and flour one bread pan
3. Blend shortening and sugar in the mixer, until creamy
4. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla, and beat until homogeneous
5. Mix in the baking powder and flour until smooth (don't over mix, we aren't going for gluten here).
6. Fold in the nuts and/or chocolate chips
7. Scrape into greased loaf pan. The batter is stiff. I spread it out and make a depression in the middle.
8. Bake at 350°F for one hour, until the crust is brown and the loaf has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Theory of the Dish

The recipes always say "cool before slicing" I don't know why. It is really crumbly when it is hot but also really good. Don't make this harder than it is. Banana Bread is easy.