Banana Nut Bread

This recipe closely follows the recipe for Banana Tea Bread found in the New York Times Cookbook. If you don't have your own copy, get one.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ⅓ cup vegetable shortening

• ⅔ cups sugar

• 2 eggs, well beaten

• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 bananas will do, 4 is better)

• ⅓ cup coarsly chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts)

Directions:

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F.

  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.

  3. Cream the shortening, adding the sugar gradually until fluffy. Add the eggs until well blended. Add the flour mixture alternately with the bananas, blending well each time. About ¼ each time seems to work well.

  4. Mix in the nuts and pour into a greased bread pan (8½ x 4½ x 3 inches) and bake in the middle of the oven for about 70 minutes.