Banana Bread

I make this whenever I'm down to three bananas. (The way to not make banana bread is to not buy bananas.) I like it hot out of the oven with ice cream, but Kyle doesn't like ice cream, he mostly wants to wash the pans. It makes six servings so I have to hide it so I can ration it out over the next two or three days.

Utensils:

• Metal mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon
• Measuring cup (1 or 2 cups)
• 9"x9" pyrex cooking pan, I think 1 1/2" tall sides
• Oven
• Paring knife
• Chopping block

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon salt
• 1 level teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup walnuts (not chopped)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened or melted
• 2 eggs
• 3 bananas

Start preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Get a metal bowl and add all the dry ingredients except the walnuts. Mix them with a wooden spoon, then add walnuts, mix that too. Melt the butter (microwave 45 seconds in measuring cup), add that, add vanilla, mix with wooden spoon. Add eggs (Kyle can crack and add eggs), mix with wooden spoon. It should be crumbly, maybe with some parts of the mixture still dry.

Peel the three bananas and chop them into 1/4 inch slices on a chopping block with a paring knife. Maybe split the bananas down the middle before chopping them, to make smaller pieces.

Add banana to the dough and mix vigorously with the wooden spoon until the bananas are mostly broken up (but still lumpy). The batter should now be wetter, and pourable.

Pour dough into the baking pan. Scrape it out of the bowl with the wooden spoon. Put the pan in the oven uncovered for 50 minutes.

I recommend giving the spoon to Kyle, and eating the remaining batter from the bowl yourself. Kyle's motivation is to wash the utensils, and the batter clinging to the bowl will be wasted if he washes the bowl directly. Remind Kyle to use soap cleaning things. Clean the butter out of the measuring cup yourself with hot water and soap.

After the 50 minute timer goes off, move the banana bread to someplace safe where it can cool off for 10 minutes. I have a second oven that's off that I put it in and so far Kyle's left it alone it during the 10 minutes wait.

Use a spatula to cut it in half, then in thirds the other way, making 6 pieces. Give Kyle and yourself a piece, then put the rest of the bread away someplace safe so you can bring it out during the next day or two to finish it off.

I prefer it hot with ice cream, but Kyle doesn't like ice cream. Kyle will be focused on you finishing your piece so he can wash your plate.