Mom's Banana Bread

Summer is a great time to dig through boxes and piles that have been neglected all year.  It's also a great time to try new (and old) recipes.  I have stacks of boxes from my parents' house that we brought back with us after my dad passed away in 2010.  This little tin recipe box was in one of those boxes.  

Both my parents loved to cook, each with their own style and favorite recipes.  My dad was professionally trained so he cooked with exactness and meticulously followed every letter of every recipe.    My mom cooked from memory and tossed random things into pots.  I have very vivid memories of some of those tried and true recipes from this little recipe box.  Gum Drop cookies at Halloween.  Portuguese Soup for New Year's Eve.  Fruit cake at Christmas (that's not as fond a memory as some of the others.)  And banana bread every time the bananas lingered a little too long in the fruit bowl.  

Yesterday morning, I found that banana bread recipe and thought I'd bring a little of Grandma Dollie into my kitchen.   So many memories of my mom came flooding back when I saw her handwriting on all these little note cards.    

And then so many more came back when I smelled that familiar banana bread smell an hour later...  

Craig and the kids LOVED having fresh, warm banana bread for breakfast.  And I was so happy to have found all those old recipes from my childhood.  It was like having my mom sitting right there in the kitchen with me.     

Mom's Banana Bread

1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs
2 large bananas
2 C sifted flour
1 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1/4 C sour cream
1/2 C shopped walnuts (I left these out because we have allergies in our house)

Beat butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl with mixer 3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Stir in mashed bananas.  Sift flour, baking soda and salt onto wax paper.  Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients in bowl.  Stir until well mixed.  Add sour cream and stir until smooth.  Pour batter into well greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake at 375 for one hour.