A Gift: Banana Bread Recipe

Not everyone likes bananas, and for those of you who don't, well, you must come to terms with your own insanity. I love bananas, I think, mostly because there isn't a lazier fruit. You don't even have to wash it. You just wait until the phallic phruit reaches your preferred yellow/spotty balance, peel, and insert into your large face hole.

However, bunches of bananas have a tendency to ripen before Husband and I can eat them, so I put the pieces past their prime in the freezer and then make banana bread whenever the mood strikes. At Christmastime, I make each of my co-workers a full-sized loaf, because it's my mission in life to give all of my acquaintances the gift of diabetes.

As my Christmas gift to you, here is my old family recipe. I don't believe you'll find a better recipe in the whole-wide, banana-loving world.

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening (I use butter-flavored Crisco)
2 eggs
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
9 T. sour milk
3 medium real ripe bananas (When I'm ready to use my frozen bananas, I just set them out on the counter on some paper towel for a few hours to defrost. They don't look very pretty (completely black), but they are safe to eat and have great, deep banana flavor!)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Cream sugar, shortening, and eggs. Dissolve soda in sour milk.* Add alternately milk and dry ingredients. Add mashed bananas, nuts, and salt. Pour into two loaf pans or 5 smaller ones. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until done at 325 degrees (my oven runs colder, so I usually bake for 1 hour 10 minutes; just make sure a toothpick comes out clean).

*To sour milk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to milk.