Maryland Banana Bread

Here in Maryland, if you buy unripe bananas, they will never turn yellow. They go straight from green to brown. I have no idea what the problem is. This phenomenon has naturally led me to make a whole lot of banana bread with all my green-to-brown bananas. I thought it would be appropriate to name this version Maryland Banana Bread.

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 45-50 min. Oven: 325° Makes: 1 (LARGE) loaf

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup orange juice
½ cup mashed strawberries (optional)

Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs and bananas; beat well. Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. (Technically you’re supposed to blend dry ingredients together first separately and then add to the rest, but I’m lazy and just throw them all in at once.) Mix just until moistened (overmixing causes tunnels). Add orange juice and mashed strawberries, if desired. Pour into greased 9”x 5” loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove loaf and cool on a wire rack.