Best Banana Bread

For Mother's Day, I treated myself to the most beautiful food processor ever. After much consideration, I chose a Cuisinart.

I have been having lots of fun playing with it. Although I bought this new toy to make savory dishes (mostly hummus), I have made a few sweet treats.

When I bought the food processor, I also bought The Food Processor Bible by Norene Gilletz.

This morning I made her Best Banana Bread (for the 4th time) in my food processor. It's so quick to make! What I love about this recipe is that it only uses 1/4 cup oil. This recipe is also unique because it calls for 3 teaspoons of baking soda, and it's cooked for a very loooong time in a slow oven (275). The bread is darker than most. Because I'm a big fan of the crust, I make four small loaves instead of one large.

Best Banana Bread

from Norene Gilletz

3 medium very ripe bananas (the blacker the better)

1 cup sugar

3 tsp. baking soda

dash salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. lemon juice plus milk to equal 1/2 cup (or 1/2 cup buttermilk)

2 Tbsp. ground flax seed or wheat germ (optional)

Using the steel blade in your food processor, process bananas until pureed (15 to 20 seconds). Measure 1 cup banana puree. Add sugar, baking soda and salt; process for 30 seconds. Add eggs and oil and process until blended, about 10 seconds. Pour flour over, then add sour milk or buttermilk. Process 8 to 10 seconds longer, until smooth. Blend in flax seed or wheat germ, if using.

Pour into greased bread pan. Bake on middle rack in preheated 275 degree F oven about 2 1/2 hours, or until loaf tests done.

* I make 4 small loaves instead of one large. I bake these smaller loaves for 1 1/2 hours and it is fine.