Banana Nut Bread

The story behind this recipe goes back to July 4^th Brunch 1983 at the Legend Restaurant (no longer exists) at the Statler Brothers Museum in Staunton, Virginia. For a number of years, the Statler Brothers would put on a free show in their huge downtown park for their hometown every year on July 4^th. We went for several years and had a really great time. I think it was 1981 when I was 16 and the whole Burkholder family went to brunch at the Legend Restaurant for the first time. We weren’t sitting down long at our table before this adorable little chef who came out of the kitchen with these huge banana nut muffins that had just come out of the oven. He brought the whole pan out and starting giving each of us one to try. I was only about 16 at the time but I, along with everyone else at the table were blown away by how good they were! I had been collecting recipes and baking ever since I was about ten, so I asked if he would share the recipe with me. He was so sweet to share it and had his staff write down the recipe for me before we finished brunch.  I will never forget the sight of that cute little chef with the huge pan of giant muffins! Hope you enjoy the recipe!

Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients

1/3 cup shortening
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ¾ cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place shortening and sugar in bow; attach bowl and beater. Beat at speed six for one minute; stop and scrape bowl. Beat 1 minute more at speed six, then turn to speed four and add eggs. Beat 30 seconds, stop and scrape bowl. Turn to speed six for 1 ½ minutes, stop.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Turn to stir speed and add half of bananas, half of flour mixture, remaining bananas, then remaining flour mixture; mixing 30 seconds after each addition. Stop and scrape bowl. Blend in walnuts on stir speed, about 15 seconds.

Pour in greased and floured 9 ½ x 5x3 inch loaf pan or cupcake/muffin pans. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes one delicious loaf!

Make someone smile bake something delicious!