Just Outside Of Normal: Banana Nut Bread with Nutty Streusel Topping

Sometimes my husband likes to ask me why I don't buy him bananas....I tell him I stopped because he wasn't eating them. He lets me know he wants some, so I pick some up. He will eat them the next couple of times I buy them, but then it always goes back to where they don't get eaten again. This last time, I bought 5 bananas....and I ate one. Yesterday, I had four bananas that were getting too ripe to eat. That's okay though...because overripe bananas mean one thing....Banana Nut Bread!! This recipe isn't for purists that only want flour, banana, sugar etc. This one has a few spices, but I just love it....and the Streusel topping just takes it one step further.

Ingredients:

Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (or cooking oil)
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Topping
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Grease bottom and sides of one 9x5x3 inch pan or two 7.5x3.5x2 inch pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash up the bananas...nummy

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside.

If you are using nuts, sprinkle them on the flour mixture now. Combine the eggs, bananas, sugars, and butter and pour all at once onto the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). If you mix too much, the bread will be dry and super dense. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s).

Making the Streusel Topping

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and all-purpose flour. Using a pastry cutter or two knives...or forks, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs.