Banana Nut Bread

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)

2 cups all–purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add mashed bananas, and mix until smooth.

Combine flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Stir in nuts.

Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350, and bake an additional 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

I usually make this recipe into muffins.  Pour batter into greased muffin pans, and bake at 350 for around 15 minutes.  Don’t over bake.  Cool and turn out onto wire rack. 

These freeze very well.