rainy day banana bread

Besides eating, the next best thing about baking for me is the sweet smell that takes over the whole house. Especially on a cold, rainy day, I love to take some time to bake something sweet and comforting.
So when I had a few bananas that got a little riper than I like, it was the perfect timing to make banana bread. My favorite way to eat home-baked banana bread is warmed up and topped with butter – I love the sweet flavor of the bananas, the crunch from the bread top and the saltiness of the butter – it’s just so good.
I tried a new recipe that sounded delicious – in addition to the banana, the recipe also called for cinnamon and nutmeg as well as lemon zest. The bread turned out sweet, moist and had a crunchy top, which I love. In my opinion, the best way to eat a slice of banana bread is to start at the bottom, working your way up, saving the best bite for last- the top. You get the moistness from the bread but also the crunch from the top crust - it's just so good!

Banana Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 5 bananas)
1 cup sugar
½ cup cooking oil
Lemon zest
Grease a loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside.
Combine eggs, banana, sugar, oil and lemon peel all at once to dry mixture. Stir just until moist.
Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with foil for the last few minutes to avoid over browning the top. Let cool on a wire rack.
(recipe from Better Homes and Gardens new baking book)