This *&^% is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Oh man- once again is has been a hot minute since I last posted here. Time has escaped me more and more as my beautiful girl has gotten bigger. Some of it is because she requires more attention now that she is so mobile, but the majority of it is that I just want to be off the computer and playing with her more.

Recently we went on a fun filled vacation with Grandma to Florida to see our family there. We stayed with my sister Gina and her awesome family which felt like a home away from home. Got to see my cousin David & his partner Paula who we have not seen in a good 22 years or so- they spoiled us rotten with some very good cooking. We also traveled to see my Uncle John & Aunt Nancy on the west coast and had a good visit with them. Excellent family time for sure.

One day, while at Gina's, I noticed two lonely bananas sitting on the counter getting mighty ripe. "Make us into banana bread Nicole..." they beckoned. So I did. I pulled out my trusty recipe that I found on my most favorite recipe blog of all, Smitten Kitchen that I then adapt a bunch more to make my famous banana bread. The universe must have been on my side this time, because it came out better than I think it ever has before.

It was a huge hit, and I was asked for the recipe by everyone who tasted it. It was gobbled up by the family in record time, the first piece before it even had a few minutes to cool from the oven.

Here is the recipe, adapted by me!

Jacked Up Banana Bread by Deb (& further Jacked up by Nicole)


Adapted from Simply Recipes & again from Smitten Kitchen.

No need for a mixer for this recipe — need I say more?

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup melted salted butter

3/4 to 1 cup light brown sugar (depending on the level of sweetness you prefer- I also often use dark brown)

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon Rum- I am particular to Kraken, although any Rum of your choice will do. I used 2 Tbs.

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cup of flour

Nicole's special ingredient: Nestle Butterscotch Morsels- 1/2 to 1 cup depending on how sweet you like it.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and Rum, then the cinnamon. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix. Now add the butterscotch and toss to around to mix in. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

All that orangey goo is melted butterscotch!

Perfection I tell you, perfection.

I have 4 ripe bananas in my kitchen right now.... I see another loaf in my very near future.