Riddle Banana Bread

There are very few recipes I can call 'family recipes'. It's not that we don't cook. My mom always cooked our meals but it was more like throw it together type things; recipes you don't really need written instructions for. My father is now the cook in the family, more the gourmet gourmand. He and my husband have taken classes at the local culinary instruction school. But they're experimental cooks and try out already created recipes, they don't invent them. So when I'm digging through my recipes looking for one of two recipes I call 'family' it's like coming home. 

When the grocery store had a huge sale on bananas I bought a ton. We ate quite a few in smoothies and as snacks. But when I heard an excited voice from the kitchen announce 'Oh yay! The bananas are going bad!" and a little jiggy dance happening, I knew it was time to pull out the tried and true family banana bread recipe.

Riddle Banana Bread

(this is my mother's recipe, my maiden name is in fact Riddle. :) )

1 cup shortening or butter

1 cup sugar + enough for sprinkling on tops

4 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups mashed bananas (about 5 medium)

(opt) - 1 cup chopped nuts

(opt) - extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (for sweeter bread)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix all the ingredients together. 

Spray Pam or wipe 2 loaf pans with butter . 

Pour evenly into both loaf pans and sprinkle with sugar on top.

Bake 30 minutes and then place a piece of foil loosely over both pans to keep the tops from burning.

Bake an additional 10-25 mins depending on your oven.

This is delicious straight out of the pan with a bit of melted butter on top.

*NOTE:  My suggestion on baking: If you stick a knife in the bread to check it and it is still a bit wet, wait just a minute or two and take out. If you wait too long the bottom will get a bit brown. It's still good, I'm just an undercook-girl myself.  Enjoy!