Banana bread.

For two summers in college, I lived with a family in Atlanta and took care of their children while their mother, Laura, who was an author, did research and wrote. These were wonderful times for me, as I enjoyed planning activities, crafts and outings with the children, I loved being around my high school friends again in my free time (my own family had moved to Houston at this point), and I learned so much about cooking and baking from Laura.

Laura prepared everything from scratch. She baked her own bread, grew vegetables and herbs in her backyard and made the most wonderful pies and cookies. Her kitchen was so warm and welcoming, and wonderful aromas continually wafted through her home.

My standard banana bread recipe came from Laura. I love it because not only does it produce delicious banana bread, but all of the ingredients are things I always have on hand (as long as I have some ripe bananas) so I'm able to prepare it without making a special trip to the store.

My children have consumed countless loaves of this banana bread. When they were in preschool, Dots and Hockey Boy would request that I bring banana bread when it was their turn to provide the snack. Their little classmates would gobble it right up! It is also one of Vivian's favorite foods. I have to keep a close watch on the loaves as they're cooling or Vivian will come by and *sample* them.

We have new neighbors across the street, so this weekend I prepared some banana bread to take to them. Here is the recipe:

Banana Bread

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
¼ cup chopped pecans (which I usually omit)

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture, blend well, then add about ⅓ of the mashed bananas and blend well. Continue alternating the flour and bananas until you've added all of them. Stir in nuts, if using them. Turn into 3 small greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 300° for 45 minutes. Cool in pans for a few minutes then turn out onto waxed paper or wire rack to finish cooling.