Good Old Banana-Nut Bread

From: Diamond Nuts

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Ingredients

1 ½ cups Diamond Pecans or Walnuts
2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 to 3 cups packed mashed ripe bananas (4 to 6 medium bananas)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan. Bake, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes for pecans and 10 to 12 minutes for walnuts. Let cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Leave oven set at 350. Butter two 4 ½- by 8 ½-inch loaf pans, or coat with vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat until well blended (mixture will be stiff and appear somewhat gritty). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the mashed bananas. Stir in nuts. Stir in flour mixture just until well blended. Divide batter equally between pans. Bake until a long skewer or knife inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.