banana date bread

Thanks to my friend Nanette for this delicious recipe.  Here is how I ripened the bananas quickly:  http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2014/02/how-to-quickly-ripen-bananas-for-making-banana-bread.html

And, instead of chopping dates I used these wonderful date crystals from Shields Date Farm (we had just visited last month):  http://www.shieldsdategarden.com/p-37-shields-date-crystals.aspx

Banana Date Bread

Makes one 9 x 5 x 2½ loaf.

            ½ c. butter

            1 c. sugar

            2 eggs, well beaten

            3 large, ripe bananas, mashed

            2 c. flour

            1 tsp. salt

            1 tsp. soda

            16 dates, chopped

            1 c. chopped pecans

            1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 5 x 2½ loaf pan (or use 2 smaller pans). 

Cream butter and sugar, then fold in eggs.  Mix in bananas.  Add dry ingredients, beating quickly.  Add dates, nuts and vanilla and stir to combine.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 50-60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.  Let cool slightly before removing from pan.      

I had some left to put out as a pre-Easter snack.  Here you see it pictured with roast shrimp cocktail.  No, they don't go together but some folks wanted a breakfast snack and others wanted a savory appetizer.