So, I have this recipe book.  It is in need of some serious TLC and I’m in the process of transferring the recipes inside of it to recipe cards and binders — but I actually love the look and weathered quality of it.  I think I’ll glue the spine up the best I can and hang onto it.  It holds a lot of sentimental value.

I started cooking and baking when I was very young, and have been blessed to grow up with two parents who love to cook and loved teaching me how.

I’ve been adding to this book for over 15 years now, and this banana bread recipe was one of the first things I pasted in it.  It’s very basic, but always comes out perfect (though that may just come from making it hundreds of times and knowing what it should look, smell, and taste like).

But I love that I can see my younger self’s handwriting on the little piece of paper glued to the page.  And I love that I have no recollection of where it came from — a magazine?  A cooking show?  A friend’s mom?  I haven’t a clue.

It is my tried and true banana bread recipe.  Very simple and delicious on it’s own — though my favorite variation is with some chocolate chips mixed in and sliced almonds sprinkled on top (I didn’t have either of those things on hand today, so I sprinkled a little cinnamon and sugar on top — use your improvisational skills, my friend).

Bake it.  Share it.  Repeat.

Classic Banana Bread

Makes one 9″ loaf or four mini loaves

4 ripe bananas

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 T. oil

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 and 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl.

3. Beat sugar and eggs in.  Mix well.

4. Add oil, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.

5. Stir in flour and mix well (do not over-mix though — it will make your bread tough).

6. Pour in greased loaf pan(s); bake one 9″ loaf for about an hour; bake four mini loaves for about 40 minutes.  Cool completely.  Wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.  Will keep for up to three days (if it lasts that long).