THE BEST EVER SOURDOUGH BANANA BREAD WITH OR WITHOUT NUTS

I remember growing up and my mama making banana nut bread.  It was such a treat when she made some of this delectable bread.  Once I went to kindergarten, my mom went back to work full-time.  I do not think my dad wanted her to go back to work but she felt if she did they would be able to provide us with some extras that we could not afford before.  Geesh, I was 4 when I started school, turning 5 a month later, and she was worried about affording braces for my brother and me.  Mom cooked a lot.  I mean a lot.  We had homemade meals for dinner every night.  My mom was an amazing cook and not only did we have a good warm meal each night, she always had some type of dessert afterward.  I mean sometimes it might have just been hot from-the-oven biscuits with homemade jelly, jam, or butter mixed with some delicious sourwood honey.  My daddy would put some butter on a small plate and add some honey on top and mix it up with his fork.  Then he would dip the warm biscuit into the mix.  It sure was good. I pretty much would eat anything my daddy ate.  This is how my parents got me to eat when I was younger because I  picked like a bird.  Daddy would put me beside of him or on his lap and feed me.  Being the baby of the family, I was rather spoiled not only by my daddy but by my brother and mom as well.  Heck, I barely talked until I was 2 because I did not have to.  All I had to do is point and make a noise and they would jump to my command.  Now, I do not remember doing this but I have been told it enough that I know it was true.  

Oh back to banana nut bread.  I said all the above to explain while we had always wonderful home-cooked meals and desserts, banana nut bread was still a treat.  Needless to say, I have fond memories of my mom's banana nut bread.  

I love my sourdough starter but sometimes I just have too much and I hate to throw it out.  So, with that said, if you ever have a bit too much starter and do not know what to do with it, this is a great way to use that up.  If you would like to make your own sourdough starter click here.

Sourdough Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup butter or shortening
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 to 3 mashed bananas
• 1 Cup sourdough starter
• 2 Cups unbleached plain flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 to 3/4 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream together butter/shortening, sugar, and eggs.
• Add bananas and sourdough starter and mix well.
• In a separate combine, flour, and salt. baking powder, baking soda, and mix together.  
• Add the dry mix in with the wet mixture and blend together.  Add vanilla and mix into batter.  
• Stir in chopped nuts.
• Pour into a 9X5 baking loaf pan and cook for an hour.  Stick a toothpick into the center and if it comes out wet cook additional 5 minutes, adding 5 minutes at a time until the toothpick comes out dry.
• Take out the bread and place it on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.  Release the bread and allow it to finish cooling on the rack.  

ENJOY!!!