Best Banana Bread

My kids love this. In fact, during the school year my daughter will often come home and ask to make banana bread for snack. I think she would cook or bake every day after school if she could.

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped coarsely and toasted (optional)

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 very ripe, soft large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 vanilla yogurt

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and walnuts in a large bowl; set aside.
3. Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the batter into prepared loaf pan.
4. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Don't over bake. (I start checking it at 50 minutes... I hate dry banana bread!)
5. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Continue cooling.