Leftover Bananas

Last week everybody brought home a bunch of bananas.  Who knows why but we couldn’t eat them fast enough.  We had more than a handful of really ripe ones that were either going to go bad or calling to be made into something yummy.  We opted for the latter. 

We made muffins, of course which are pictured here.  We took a basic muffin recipe and added granola and raisin bran to the mix.  Got a bit thick but were really good.  The best thing we made, not pictured, was a Banana Bourbon Bread.  Light, tasty and really delicious.  That is going to be the recipe for the day.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup packed dark brown sugar (we used light because we were out of dark)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about four which was a little more than 1 1/2 cups but thats OK)
3 T. bourbon (we used Jim Beam)
1 t. vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans ( we opted out of this )

Preheat oven to 350.  Great up a 9 X 5 X 2 3/4 loaf pan. 
Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt).  Set aside.
With an electric mixer cream together the sugar, shortening and brown sugar until fluffy (2 minutes or so).  Add the eggs, one at a time and mix in between.  Add the bananas, bourbon and vanilla, mix well.  Add the flour mixture until it is completely combined.  If you want, stir in the pecans now.
Pour into the bread pan, bake for about 60 or so minutes.  Until a toothpick comes out clean.  Delicious…and the best part it took four bananas!