I think some of the typical Thanksgiving foods get a little too much credit sometimes. Sure, a savory slab of turkey, warm stuffing, and a sweet slice of pumpkin pie is enough to make anyone’s stomach swoon. But what about the less thought of foods? In my house, it’s been a tradition to begin every Thanksgiving morning with a hot, steaming loaf of banana bread. Just typing it stirs a craving inside of me for a mouthwatering piece!
The great thing about banana bread (besides its absolute deliciousness) is that there are so many variations out there — chocolate, creamy style, nutty, raisins. With such a variety of recipes, it’s easy for anyone to find the perfect banana bread match for their taste buds. Personally, I’m a classics kind of girl, and I prefer regular good-ol’ banana bread. So when one of my roommates found a Pinterest recipe that fit such a bill, I jumped at the chance to help make (and eat) it.
This recipe is probably the most complex of all the ones I’ve shared so far. It requires several ingredients and a couple baking tricks, but isn’t hard to make at all. And the end result is very well worth it. Besides, many of the ingredients are ones you’ll be able to store in your pantry to use over and over again.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of butter
- 1 cup of white sugar
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 cup of quick cooking oats
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup of milk
- 3 mashed bananas
The key to the ingredients is having ripe bananas. They are easier to bake with because they’re mushier and add a stronger flavor to the bread. This is a great way to use those leftover spotty bananas you’ve left sitting on the counter for longer than a week. It makes the most of your money and prevents wastefulness!
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and put aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until fluffy.
- Sift in the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add bananas and milk. Mix until well blended.
- Add in any extras you desire – raisins, nuts, chocolate chips. (We threw in chocolate chips — I may like classic food, but I do like a hint of sweetness here and there!)
- Pour into the pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and cover for about 5 minutes.
The result was the best loaf of banana bread I’ve ever had. Bursts of bananas, waves of chocolate, and a touch of oats combined to create various textures that exploded with flavor. Our loaf was gone by the end of the day.
This is certainly a recipe I will continue to make every Thanksgiving morning for years, and perhaps it will find you starting the same tradition.
Happy Thanksgiving, collegiettes™!