Honey Walnut Banana Bread

SUNDAY FUNDAY....

After another warm sunny week, it cooled off and rained. It was a perfect Sunday to lay around, read a book, do laundry, watch mindless TV and bake banana bread.

I had wanted to go to a yoga class, or Target or something, but instead I enjoyed Sunday Funday. Or no makeup Sunday. Another favorite day. My Husband was out of the house all day. My Stepson was out of town. I had the house to myself. I owned a remote control. The Cats were still there to occasionally grace me with their presence.

I started looking through my recipes for some inspiration, I knew it was going to be a bread or bars. No cookies today, to much work. There are always bananas in the frig, so they won out. I have made this banana bread recipe before. It is a moist earthy bread. Just perfect for Sunday Funday. I toasted the walnuts to deepen the flavor. I also added 1 teaspoon of Walnut oil. The flavored oil add another layer of flavor. Sometime, I will experiment with more flavored oil and less butter. Depending on the type of honey that you use, that would also slightly change the flavor.

Honey Walnut Banana Bread
adapted from picturetherecipe.com

Ingredients
3 or 4 Ripe (black) bananas
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of Walnut oil (optional)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup oats
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon turbindo sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter a loaf pan. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, add the bananas and mixed. Add butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, walnut oil, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are well combined. There will be lumps of bananas and butter. They just add to the flavor. See picture below.

Add the flour, oats and 3/4 cup of toasted walnuts. Mix slightly, until just incorporated. Do not over mix.

Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts. Sprinkle also with the turbindo sugar.  Bake at 350 for 50 - 55 minutes. Check with a tooth pick. If it comes out clean, the bread is done.

Let sit in pan until cooled. Place on a plate and dig in.

These are the lumps. Bits and pieces of delicious flavors that add a punch to this banana bread.

Since the honey and butter are mixed into the bread, I did not add anything to my piece of bread.

 Perfect and sooooo moist. Yummy.