The Best Blue {Ribbon} Banana Bread Ever

I happened to have three, bordering on gross bananas in my kitchen today, and what better way to use them than banana bread?  I have been eating, baking, using this recipe since my sister made it for the state fair way, way back when we were kids.  She won a blue ribbon and rightly so.  It is by far the best banana bread out there.  Always moist and always, always brings the family peering around the corner questioning, "Is it ready yet?"

I wish I knew the origin, but around here it's known as Aunt Ginny's Blue Ribbon Banana Bread and here's how it's done:

Soften one stick of butter or margarine. 
In a mixer,  mix in one cup of sugar. 
Add two eggs. 

Now the next part really depends on your personality.  If you are a gotta follow the way my mama taught me kind, then sift the dry ingredients before adding them.  If you lean toward being a cooking rebel, just dump it all in hodgepodge-like with the creamed mixture and mix away.

Whatever your style, you will need:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Take three mushy, brown bananas (mushy=sweet banana goodness) and mash them with a potato masher.  If you like, enlist the help of your two year, who will take great delight in being free to destroy.  You can fold them in with a spoon or use the mixer.

Pour into a pregreased loaf pan and bake at 350. 

Now comes the hard part.  Let it bake and bake and bake until you think you will go crazy from the aroma.  Then, let it bake some more.  About an hour.  One maddening hour. 

Test it with a toothpick.  If it is still gooey in the center, endure a few more minutes.  Feel free to stick close by with your nose close to the glass if it helps you through the torturous additional time.

I don't advise letting it cool.  Just dive in.  Cut yourself a couple of slices (or four...or five) before you call the troops down and you are left with only this and a memory...