Recipe Tuesday

It has been a crazy couple of days. My sister got married this past Friday and all the hoopla that traditionally accompanies weddings, accompanied this one too. Parties, rehearsals, confusion, dancing, laughing, family get togethers, last minute deadlines and of course getting sick. I haven't had a voice for five days. Only today as I was yelling at my 4-year old (because of a very embarrassing scene she created at ballet lessons) did my 5-year old say, "Mommy, you sound like you again."

So while I recover from partying, sickness and just plain busyness I am making some warm, yummy banana bread - recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker and in honor of a wonderfully kind and beautiful lady that I'm privileged to know. Denise, this one's for you!

Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 buttermilk
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pan will be in center of oven. Heat to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms of two load pans with shortening.
Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Stir in bananas, buttermilk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake loaves about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack.

Enjoy!

P.S. I made the Beef Stew last week and it was actually really good. Very easy to make since all you do is throw everything in a pan and bake for hours.