Banana Bread {Dairy Free}

I'm weird about bananas-I will only eat them when they are green or bright yellow.  If they get even a little brown mark, I won't touch them.  I'll use ripened ones for smoothies and then, when they get ugly, they are worthy of banana bread!

I use this recipe right now because I'm a heifer nursing mama and this thing has a dairy allergy:(  I'm pretty sure 75% of American foods have dairy in them- arrghhhh.  But, she's worth it.

Recipe:

5 large "rotten" bananas

1 1/4 C. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 C. oil

1 tsp Vanilla

2 C. Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Salt

*Put the bananas in a Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment and let it run for about a minute.  Add the sugar and let it mix another minute.  Add the remaining wet ingredients and make sure everything is well combined.  In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together with a whisk.  Add to the banana mixture and mix until the flour is almost combined.  Turn off the kitchen aid and finish mixing with a spatula, scraping down the sides and bottom.  Spray and flour 3-4 mini bread pans.  Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Run a knife along the sides of the pan to release the bread, move to a wire rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Tips:

• The uglier your bananas are, the better your bread will taste.  Don't let them mold, but let them get nice and brownish/black.  
• Throw them in the Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment and let it mix for one minute.  This does the mashing for you.  I don't measure smashed bananas cause it's messy and.......... messy.  Use 5 bananas and you'll be fine.
• I don't own a sifter, so a whisk is as good as it gets.  With breads like this, I always find that the flour needs to be broken up so it's less likely to clump when you add it to the wet mixture.  You don't want to see any flour-make sure it's all mixed in, but careful not to over mix.
• DON'T over bake- I start checking mine at 38 minutes and take them out when a knife comes out clean.

Smother with butter (since I can't) and enjoy!