Banana Bread

Recipe makes 2 loaves (24 slices each).

1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan 9x5x3 inches, with shortening. Stir in eggs until well-blended.
2. Mix sugar and margarine/butter in a large bowl. Stir in eggs until well-blended. Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt just until moistened. Stir in the nuts. Pour into pans.
3. Bake 8-inch loaves about 1-hour; 9-inch pans about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pans on wire rack.
Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.