Sandy's Banana Bread and Happy Birthday Susan!

My mom is a wonderful cook and I think it is because she was taught by her mother who was the best cook I have ever known. There are certain things that my mom makes that just don't taste as good when I try to make them. I follow her recipes down to the last step, yet there is always something that isn't exactly as I remember it. While I was living in New York, my mom used to make her spaghetti sauce, freeze it and bring it to me in freezer bags whenever she and my dad came to visit ( I know...great mom!). I think it usually lasted me a few days...I eat a lot of pasta. Like her spaghetti sauce, her banana bread is one of a kind. I actually think this time, though, that mine might have turned out as tasty as when she makes it!

This banana bread is seriously the best that I have ever had. I don't know if I am biased because it is my mom's recipe, or if because the extra hit of banana cream pudding puts it over the top, but regardless it is to die for.

My friend Susan has been asking me to post a banana bread recipe. Her birthday was last week and she celebrated with brunch yesterday in NYC (as we have done for the past three years!). I couldn't be there this year, so I figured that I could at least give Susan her banana bread. Here you go Suz, happy birthday!

You Will Need:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 overly ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 box banana cream pudding mix (Instant or cooked)
• 1 heaping tsp vanilla extract

Here We Go:

• Preheat Oven to 300 degrees F
• Grease and flour 1 large or 2 small loaf pans
• Cream butter and sugar together
• Add eggs and vanilla and beat well
• Blend in sour cream and set aside
• Mix flour, box of banana cream pudding mix, soda, and mashed bananas together
• Blend in with other wet ingredients and mix well 
• Pour dough into greased pan(s)
• Bake for 65 minutes for large pan or 55 minutes for small pan
• Be sure and check center before removing from the oven

Note: Can also be used for french toast and sprinkled with fresh bananas and warm maple syrup...and it is unreal!


Makes Roughly 10 Slices
Happy Feasting!