The Best Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup (2-3) mashed bananas
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Idaho® Potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
• ½ cup walnut pieces (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour or use a baking non-stick spray to spray a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and bananas.
3. Add in the salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and all-purpose flour. Mix on low until combined.
4. Mix in mashed Idaho Potatoes, combining well.
5. If using walnuts in the bread, you can fold into the banana mixture now.
6. Pour batter into the prepared 9x5 loaf pan. If using walnuts on top of bread sprinkle them on now.
7. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 - 10 minutes, then gently remove from pan and continue to cool on a cooling rack.

Notes:

To make muffins, use a 12-count muffin tin, line with paper liners, fill each cup ¾ full, bake at 350°F for 20 – 30 minutes or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Makes 10 – 12 muffins.

Keep covered for up to 5 days at room temperature or put in a freezer proof bag to freeze for up to 3 months.

Pre-slice bread and put in individual baggies for a quick grab and go snack or freeze individual slices to keep fresh longer.

Pecans can be substituted for walnuts.

Oven temperatures may vary, it is best to check for doneness at 50 minutes and then check every 5 minutes until done.