Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

A while back I was getting tired of throwing away 2 bites of banana.  Girl likes banana and she's pretty good at eating one all by herself, but usually her hunger kind of peters out with an inch or two left.  A good mom would just eat the rest, but I don't like banana.  Sure, you tell me, it has potassium, potassium is good for you.   Yes, but so do kiwis and potatoes, and I'd rather eat those. 

So, to alleviate the need to toss them, I just started a bag in the freezer.  I'd cut off the end Girl had chewed off, and dump the last inch or two in. 

Yesterday, I made Banana Bread.

Forgive me if you think this is gross.  It's not like the pieces were manhandled and chewed on.  I thought it was a pretty good idea.  (I suppose I should have waited with this post until AFTER Husband and his co-workers ate the banana bread I sent with him to work... Hi Guys!).

I used a Betty Crocker recipe, which I've liked in the past...

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

(who needs nuts when you can put in ridiculousy expensive soy-lecithin-free chococlate chips!)

 
Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.  (Apparently a bundt pan also works for this...  I greased the whole thing)

Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. (Or chocolate chips) Pour into pans.

Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.