Gone Bananas

I am a firm believer that there is no better all-purpose recipe than a hearty, tried and true banana bread for just about any occasion. Graduation? Engagement? Funeral? Trust me, banana bread always fits the bill. In this case, it was a baby shower that prompted the appearance of this delicious loaf. Soft and sweet with a fine crumb, but not dense and cake like, it can even be consumed for any time of the day as well! Breakfast, dessert, with or without icing, it’s still the treat you’ll reach for.

Mine started with a very simple recipe originating from VegWeb, but you should all know by now that I just can’t leave well enough alone, so I made a couple of my own adaptations, which I’ll include for any of those curious. Yes, you may notice mine is less healthy. I’ll admit it, I made it more of an indulgence, even adding in chocolate instead of the reccomended nuts [Which could still make an excellent addition as well], but I figured that an omnivorous pregnant woman would prefer a better flavor and texture over saving a few calories. I didn’t actually have any whole wheat pastry flour anyways, and I didn’t want it to become overly dense and vertically challenged.

I must say, it did rise quite beautifully in the oven, and the whole kitchen smelled amazing. It took all the restraint I could muster not to tear into this thing as soon as it slid out from the pan. The good news is that it freezes wonderfully once covered in plastic wrap, reheating like it was baked that day. Even better yet is if you were to throw a slice in the toaster, adding an extra crispy edge.

There are so many words, and yet none are quite adequit to describe such a bread. I’m afraid my mouth will now be occupied to appreciate everything that words can’t say about such a loaf, so you’ll just have to bake up your own and find out for yourself.