Happy Tuesday, friends! I hope everyone else is enjoying this ah-mazing weather we are currently experiencing here in the lowcountry. And you know what makes these beautiful mornings even better? A delicious breakfast that is sure to please. Make this homemade banana bread any time of year, and snag a slice to snack on while you’re on the way to the duck blind, sitting in the deer stand, or wherever your outdoor adventures may take you. But, if you’re going fishing – don’t bring any with you on the boat!

There are a medley of theories as to why, exactly, bananas seem to bring bad luck on boats, but I can’t say those theories are wrong. We ate banana bread for breakfast on two mornings in Costa Rica a few years ago (at the house), and we are all convinced that just the presence of bananas in our bellies caused us to have 2 slim-to-none fishing days in a row. Coffee and donuts for breakfast the next morning? Every single person on the boat landed a sail. I’m not particularly superstitious, but come on now….

Either way, definitely whip up this fantastic banana bread, adapted from here, for a delicious breakfast or snack this summer. Maybe even sprinkle some cinnamon/sugar on top…

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark, firmly packed
I tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 extra ripe medium/large bananas, mashed with a fork
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup regular flour

STEPS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350* and lightly spray a 9″x5″ loaf pan with a nonstick cooking spray. While the oven is heating, mash the bananas with a fork until they look similar to… apple sauce? I want to say baby food but I feel like that sounds pretty unappetizing… Yes? Anyway, it should look like this:

See what I mean?

2. In a large bowl, whisk or beat together the butter and sugar until smooth. Easier to do this with a mixer, but I didn’t feel like doing as many dishes so I whisked by hand. If you have room temperature/ softened butter, it is much easier.

3. Start adding the rest of your ingredients, starting with the vanilla, banana, baking soda, and salt. Beat until well combined, and add the eggs and honey. Finally, whisk in the flour until the batter is thick but fairly smooth.

4. Bake in a 350* oven for 45-50 minutes until the top looks golden brown and done. Warning – it’s not! To prevent over-browning, lay a piece of tinfoil over the top for the last 10 minutes or so of baking. All in, it will take about an hour to completely bake.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes or so. Then, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I went for a run while I the banana bread was cooling so I could remove it from the baking dish and snap a few photos. Well, a certain someone just so happens to adore banana bread, and couldn’t keep his paws off until I got back! I believe his words were, “You might want to go ahead and take the photos you need of that banana bread… There’s not going to be any left if you don’t hurry.” And now you have the back story of the half-loaf of banana bread.

I’d say this recipe was a success!