Banana Bread.

I doubled the recipe and made 2 loaves without nuts. YUM!

Have ALL ingredients at about 70* (room temp., including the eggs).

Preheat oven to 350*.
Makes 1 loaf. (Double it and make 2)

Sift together:

1 3/4 cups Sifted all-purpose flour.

2 1/4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder.

1/2 teaspoon salt.

Blend until creamy:

1/3 cup butter flavored Crisco (shortening).

2/3 cup sugar.

3/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind...(you may also use orange rind or a combination of both).

Beat in:

2 eggs. (At room temp.)

3 medium to large sized, overly ripe, bananas.

Add the sifted ingredients in about 3 parts to the sugar mixture. Beat the batter after each addition until smooth.

(Optional) Fold in: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.

Place the batter in a greased bread pan. Bake the bread about 1 hour or until done. Test with a toothpick....don't over bake, it will become too dry....you want it slightly under baked on top, but not gooey. Remove from oven and let it rest in the pan for about 4 minutes before running a butter knife around the edge and shaking it a bit to loosen it up.....turn it out on a wire rack to cool. It's good to eat hot, but be careful, don't burn your mouth! Once it's cooled, wrap it up in foil, it stays moist longer.

Happy baking! : )