5 Banana Banana Bread

 5 Banana Banana Bread

From Ellen's kitchen, with thanks to the NYT

Ingredients:

• For the Bread:
• 5 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1/4 pound cool butter (1 stick)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• For the topping:
• 3 tbs chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 tbs granulated or coarse sugar
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

Heat:

• oven to 350 degrees.

Grease:

• 9 x 5 loaf pan.

Cream:

• butter until smooth and fluffy.  Add sugar and cream 2 minutes more.  Add eggs one at a time.  Mix in bananas until only small lumps remain.

Stir:

• flour, salt, and baking soda together in separate bowl and add to to banana mixture until just combined.  Pour into prepared pan.

Combine:

• topping in small bowl and sprinkle over batter.

Bake:

• 55 to 65 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for ten minutes and move to cooling rack.