Maw's Banana Bread

My grandmother was one of my best friends.  She was one of  the only people I ever let myself cry in front of...not the cry you can't help but the kind where you just sit down and let loose.  I would lean on her shoulder while she patted me and just cry.  She also sang to me...hymns...I can still hear them in my head and cry every time I hear them at church. Chris has started to learn the ones that make me cry and he just holds my hand.  She's the one who taught me life is not about your worldly treasures but the treasure that awaits for us in heaven.  She never had very much but was one of the most joyful, content people I knew.  My grandparents were such a big part of my life growing up so it's really important for my boys to spend lots of time with their grandparents!  They teach them so many things we can't. We are so fortunate to have both of our families here and the boys love spending time with them.

Ok so now that I'm crying while blogging...not intended...let's talk

BANANA BREAD. 

Sometimes, my sisters and I would spend all weekend at my grandparents...literally Friday afternoon to Sunday night (Dad would meet us at church).  During our weekends we spent lots of time baking.  First, I must mention she would let us bake anything...not a recipe just whatever our little minds thought would be good mixed together(think flour, jelly, salt...sifted, mix and baked).  Needless to say we made some nasty food but Maw and Paw always sat down at the table and let us serve them our "dish"...which they ALWAYS tried!

Banana Bread was my favorite real recipe to cook with her or just to eat when she made it!

HAWAIIAN BANANA NUT BREAD RECIPE

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 8oz can crushed pineapples, drained

1 cup chopped nuts...we like pecans

3 eggs beaten

11/2 cup veggie oil

2 cup mashed bananas...starting to brown

2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine dry ingredients. Stir in nuts. Set aside.  Combine remaining ingredients.  Add dry ingredients stirring just until batter is moistened.  Spoon in 2 greased and floured 9x5x3 inch pans.  Bake 350 for 1 hour or until done.  Cool before removing from pan.  Yields 2 loaves.  Will freeze well. by MAW

***Over the years I have tweaked her recipe by trading the pineapples for other ingredients that I have on hand...zucchini, chocolate chips, pumpkin, apples.  The picture is chocolate chip, pecan, banana bread. We love the pineapple too!  I like to bake 4 loaves at a time...1 to eat, 1 to give away and 2 to freeze. 

We gave this one to Sam's teachers!

The best part...before I got married I asked my grandmother to write down her recipes for me.  She wrote them all down on recipe cards and gave them to me for a wedding gift.  I love the gift now more than then...having her hand-written recipes means so much to me.  I have 2 framed in my kitchen.  I love having her memory so close when I cook!