The Best Banana Bread Recipe

No really--It Is The Best!  The recipe makes that really good crust, but then it's all moist inside.  For easy slicing, once it is cooled, wrap loaf in plastic food wrap and refrigerate overnight.  This allows the crust to soften.  However, we can't wait that long!  I prefer the crust fresh from the oven and I've never had trouble slicing.  Makes great mini loaves for gifts--just cook for less time.

The Best Banana Bread Recipe

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

2 medium (1 cup) ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (may be omitted)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (change your soda out often so that it's always fresh--use discarded baking soda to clean fridge and sink

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (secret ingredient)

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for a glass loaf pan--may have to cook slightly longer so be sure to check often).  Grease and flour 8x4-inch loaf pan; set aside.

Combine sugar and butter in large bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.  Add eggs; continue beating until well mixed.  Stir in all remaining ingredients.

Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, (loosely cover with foil, shiny side down, when the loaf begins to get brown).  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from pan; place onto wire cooling rack.  Cool completely.  .

Festive Fruit Basket Liners

When I was a teenager we made larger versions of this cute little basket liner for church fruit baskets we helped deliver (using Christmas material of course).  I have given many, many cookie plates and gift baskets throughout the years.  The cookie plates are something my extended family did for each other.  My favorite thing to receive on a cookie plate was Aunt Janice's divinity.

I like to fill my gift baskets with things like homemade mocha fudge, freezer cookies, banana bread, and candy, fruit, and nuts.  Baskets can be found at stores like Hobby Lobby.  The dimensions for making a pattern of a small basket are 15 x 12.5 inch rectangle, with corners cut out so that you have a long flap of 8 x 4 inches and a shorter flap that is 5 x 3.5 inches.  Happy Giving :0)