When life gives you ripe bananas.....

....make banana bread! Or in this case banana nut muffins! I hate to see fresh fruit go to waste and since our plan to eat every meal at home fell by the wayside this week we had a few extra bananas. So, for the 500th (and final) time I called my mother for Esther's banana bread recipe which she still has written in my great grandmother's own handwriting. My great grandmother's banana bread is my favorite quick bread recipe partly because it is simple to put together: "mix ingredients in a bowl in the order in which it's written, pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour." But also because the recipe came from her. The crunchy golden exterior and moist butter-colored crumb, courtesy of 1/2 cup of oil, is nothing less than I would expect from my great grandmother, who carried a few extra pounds and was known for her baked goods. Every time I make this recipe I imagine her sitting at her mid-century modern dining table in front of the matching china cabinet, sipping extra light coffee from a pink plastic coffee cup, and eating this same wonderful bread. As a grown woman I realize that I'm a little bit like she used to be. I laughed because she never threw any food away. Today, I try to use everything we buy (like over-ripe bananas!) I could never understand how she drank so much bitter coffee. Now, I consider coffee with extra cream, no sugar to be one of life's greatest pleasures. And if only I had her dining table! I used to think it was so ugly and in my mind's eye it is exactly what I want for my own house. And of course, I love to cook and bake. Much like her, it is how I show my friends and family that I love them. So, once and for all, I will make a copy of this recipe and put it away for safe keeping. But, for now, I will share it with you. You won't be disappointed!

Great Grandma's Banana Bread
1/2 c. shortening or oil
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas mashed
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 c. nuts
1/ c. milk mixed with 1t. white vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients in a bowl in the order in which it's written, pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.