MY FAVORITE & BEST BANANA BREAD

I finally found the perfect banana bread recipe- it's one that's been tweaked from several and it took awhile, but I now find myself buying bananas just to let them go brown.  The perfect banana bread to me is moist but not dense with a strong banana flavor and that wonderful, sort of gooey top.  This is just classic, plain-jane, delicious, regular old banana bread.  If you want a classic recipe that's delicious and worth keeping around, this is it.

It reminds me a little bit of the friendship bread that I had as a kid- one of my favorite traveling memories.  We were on vacation in Kings Canyon National Park as part of a long road trip across the country because my parents are awesome.  In a little clearing, surrounded by giant redwoods, my aunt brought out a loaf of this magical bread and sliced off thick pieces.  It's gooey top was carefully saved until last as I sat in the sunrays streaming through the massive trees with the smell of warm pine needles that had carpeted the forest floor.  I think about that bread often.  Probably too often for something that I've only had once and I was five years old when I had it, but, man it was good!

This banana bread is just as amazing, I think.  Plus, it has four bananas in it, so I can tell myself it's healthy while I shamelessly scarf down a whole loaf of it.  Hope that you enjoy it and best of luck to you in resisting it.  It's best if you hide it from yourself...

THE BEST BANANA BREAD
YOU WILL NEED:
4 very ripe bananas
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 egg
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 c. flour

In a bowl or mixer, mash the bananas until they no longer have large chunks.  Melt the butter and pour into bananas.  Stir to combine.  Add all other ingredients except the flour and combine.  Add the flour and stir until just mixed- don't over do it.  Pour into a greased loaf pan or muffin tins and bake at 350'F until very slightly browned on the edges.

This is amazing toasted with butter, or just plain, or any way, really.  I sometimes add about 1/2 cup of pecans and/or 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate for some extra zing.  I always save some plain ones, though, since I'm kind of a banana bread purist.