Banana Date Nut Bread

 It’s National Bread Month and I celebrated this morning by baking up a loaf of my grandmother’s banana bread.  As far as I know, this recipe goes back to the late 1800’s, when it was made by my great-great grandmother, and passed along to my grandmother who since passed it down to the rest of the baking women in the family.  My favorite of all the banana bread recipes that I’ve tried, it is dense, chewy, full of flavor, and packed with nutrients like potassium, calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium thanks to the addition of the dates.  Dates are also an excellent source of iron, dietary fiber, and very rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.  Now I ask you, what more could you want in a delicious breakfast loaf?

Give it a try and let me know what you think.  You won’t be disappointed.

BANANA DATE NUT BREAD

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Crisco

1 cup mashed banana (about 3)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped, pitted dates

1 cup chopped nuts

Cream sugar and shortening thoroughly; add bananas and lemon juice, mixing well.  Spoon flour (do not sift) into dry measuring cup, level off, and pour measured flour onto square of waxed paper.  Add soda and salt to flour and stir to blend.  Add blended dry ingredients, dates and nuts to creamed mixture, stirring just until flour is moistened. Spread into one well-greased and sugared 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.  Bake at 350° for 60 minutes.

This post is linked to:

These Chicks Cooked

What's Cooking Wednesday