The New Betty Crocker

Move over Betty.... there's a new baker in town!!

Growing up I spent a lot of time at my Grandparents house on the weekends. My Gama had this cookbook in her collection (that was actually my Mom's as a child)...it was "Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls" from the 1950's. I would beg Gama to let me cook recipes from it...so we'd head off to the store and get the ingredients for the recipes I'd pick out. Whether it was Sloppy Joes, Pigs in a Blanket or Sugar Cookies... I loved cooking from it. I look back on those memories and am so appreciative to have them. My mom has that cookbook in her collection now...and every time I'm home...I eye it and smile.

Tonight I searched and found my inner Betty... I think we all have her inside of us somewhere... she just hides deep down inside of me! I don't especially love to bake. It takes a lot of patience and I get anxious because the house smells so good during the whole process!

Well...We had 3 Banana's sitting around our kitchen tonight and I decided to be economical and find a way to use them....so what did I do... I whipped up some Banana Nut Bread. You see, I'm not a baker...but I'm starting to appreciate the art of baking. It's the measuring, the sifting and all the dishes you get dirty in the process of creating something, that drives me "bananas"!


White Chocolate Banana Nut Bread
PREP TIME: 20 Min
COOK TIME: 45 Min

READY IN: 1 Hr 15 Mins
SERVINGS: 12

INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 pinch of salt
* 3 ripe mashed bananas
* 2 tablespoon soft butter
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup white chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts or walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and coat lightly with flour to prevent sticking. (I didn't have a loaf pan..so I used my Le Creuset Dish)

2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl with the baking soda and salt.

3. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar then add in the mashed bananas and mix well.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixture and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.

5. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

6. Allow to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes and then place on a cooling rack to cool fully.