Orange Raisin Banana Bread

I make banana bread a lot. I'm not sure what it is about bananas, we are always buying them and they just sit there on the counter until they are starting to go black. I mean, we eat one or two, but there is very often 3 or 4 left. Which happens to be just the right amount to make banana bread.

Orange Raisin Banana Bread, hot from the oven,
already melting the slab of butter I spread on.

I suppose one reason I like to make it, apart from using up food that is about to go bad, is that it is just so darn tasty and versatile. Reasonably healthy, easy to eat for breakfast, maybe throw a piece in the lunch bag.  The thing is, my usual recipe is, while pretty good, actually not very exciting. This one however, is just great. SO doesn't like the traditional nuts you usually see in banana bread, so I thought I'd try the raisins...turns out to be a good substitute. It is the orange zest though that really turns out to be the secret trick. The cup of sugar sounds like a lot, but you can of course substitute the usual honey or apple sauce. My regular recipe has tons of oil, this one is only a few tablespoons, so there's a bonus. Next time I may try chocolate chips instead of raisins. Ho boy.

Next Time: maybe chocolate chips instead of raisins, just for fun

Me: 10/10
SO: 9/10
SSO: 7/10

Orange Raisin Banana Bread
Ingredients

•  1 cup sugar (can also reduce this and add apple sauce and/or honey)
• 3 Tb veg oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 Bananas
• Freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 or 3 oranges or around 1/2 cup
• 1 Tb or more orange zest
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• freshly grated nutmeg
• large pinch of salt
• large handful of raisins, maybe 1 cup or so

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and grease up two 8"x4" loaf pans.
2. Mix the sugar, oil, eggs, and bananas, juice, and zest until well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients except for the raisins. Mix it well together (I like to use a whisk).
4. Add the dry to the wet, don't over mix. Blend in the raisins.
5. Pour into the pans, and bake for around an hour. Check at 55 minutes.