Browned Butter Banana Bread

My mother-in-law sent us home this weekend with some spotted bananas. There are really only three ways I'll eat bananas. Plain, in bread and in cookies. Since we planned on making frittatas for dinner, I decided to bake a loaf of browned butter banana bread to go along with our "breakfast." I love how crusty the tops of this gets and how moist and sweet it is inside. To make it more of a dessert, you can add chocolate chips or cocoa powder to the batter. Enjoy!

Browned Butter Banana Bread
Ingredients
2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, melted and browned
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. buttermilk (or plain yogurt)
1 1/4 c. (3) bananas, mashed
(optional: 1 c. chocolate chips, 1/2 c. cocoa powder, 1/2 c. chopped walnuts)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (with Pam or butter) and flour one 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Once butter begins to bubble and crackle, the butter will begin to brown. As the butter cooks, swirl to move butter around. When the butter smells nutty, remove pan from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and cooled butter. Gently whisk.
4. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (cocoa if desired). Whisk.
5. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, stir together, making sure to mix in all possible pockets of flour. Fold in mashed bananas (nuts or chocolate chips if desired). Stir, being careful not to over mix.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and place onto a wire rack. Allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto the wire rack. Cool for an additional 30 minutes before serving.*
*To store: wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature for 3 days or freeze.