A Banana Bread with minimal ingredients but maximum taste

Because I love to cook, people assume I enjoy other domestic pursuits as well.  This is far from the truth.  I am not into crafts, scrapbooking or sewing.  I am incapable of arranging flowers, making greeting cards, or even decorating my house.  My walls are bare because I have no idea how to place photos or pictures in artsy arrangements.  I rationalize by calling my style of décor “minimalistic”.  But really I am simply “clueless”.  However, in cooking, minimal ingredients can result in incredible taste and ease.  My three ingredient banana bread is a perfect example of a minimalistic masterpiece!

I can mix this up and have sweet, warm, moist banana bread in less than an hour- including baking time!  And all the flavors are there.  No one will ever guess that you weren’t measuring, sifting, and mixing all day.  For some crunchy texture, add some nuts.  I love adding glazed walnuts for even more sweetness.

A great tip for ease in serving and clean-up is to line your pans with wax paper.  You don’t have to use spray or grease for your pans and the loaves lift right out.  Peel the paper off and you have a perfect finish!

Belle’s Banana Bread

1 box spice cake mix (dry)

3 eggs, beaten

3 ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix all ingredients for at least two minutes.  Pour into waxpaper lined loaf pans (about 2/3 full).  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes 2 medium sized loaves.

Brenda Stanley is the mother of five children, including two sets of twins and a grandmother of two.  She is a cookbook author and novelist.  For more recipes and information, visit her website www.talesofthedinnerbelle.com .