BODACIOUS BANANA BREAD
Prepared in 20 minutes or less plus 1 hour to bake.

10 tbs unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
¾ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas, (3 medium bananas work best)
½ cup sour cream
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 tbs milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Generously grease a 9 x 5 x 3 –inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt over a large bowl of an electric mixer.  Add the softened butter and mix on medium-low speed until well-blended, approximately 30 seconds.

Purée bananas, sour cream, eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a food processor. .  Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture a little bit at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula and mixing on medium speed between each addition.   *Fold in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips if desired.  Batter will be thick. 

Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour depending on your oven.  If bread begins to brown too much on top and is not yet done inside, cover lightly with a piece of tin foil.   

Set on a wire rack for 15 minutes to cool.  Invert pan onto the rack and remove bread from pan to cool completely before slicing.  Serve drizzled with acacia honey or as a dessert with vanilla bean ice cream.

Option:  *Fold in 1 cup of golden raisins "plumped" in apple-spiced tea to batter before baking if desired.