the road to hana is lined with banana bread

dying bananas 

(as i like to call them)

pile up in my freezer

i can't bring myself to throw away

bananas that are just too ripe to eat

so 

i plop them in a freezer bag

where they lay in wait

for me to be inspired

on the island of maui

stretches the road to hana

a beautiful picturesque

and windy road

lined with roadside stands

 each selling

the "island's best"

 banana bread

each recipe unique

handed down for generations

and while 

all different

all were tasty

i know

we tried them 

sitting here in the warmth of sunny southern california

i can only dream

of our days on the island

and on which curve

our banana bread stand would sit

Island's Best Banana Bread
(printable recipe)

1/2 cup butter--room temp

1/2 cup cream cheese--room temp

1 cup light brown sugar--lightly packed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs--room temp

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 large over-ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)

1 cup sour cream

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts

cream the butter, cream cheese together, until they are melded together.  add the brown, granulated sugar and salt and beat until fully creamed, and light and fluffy. add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes...you do not want it to be light and airy, as you are making a bit of a dense, moist bread. toss in the mashed bananas and again mix for about 2 minutes.   mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder together in a bowl.  with the mixer on low, alternately add the flour and sour cream, beginning and ending with flour, in 3 parts.  mix the walnuts in by hand.  pour into 2 loaf pans that have been buttered and floured.  bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

*note: the spices of cinnamon and nutmeg are not clearly noticeable in this recipe, they just give the cake a bit of depth. if you love the taste of either one, you can increase as you see fit.  i like the roundness a bit of spice gives without it overpowering the banana flavor.

oh

that little whipped indulgence you see sitting along-side the bread

that is

just 

equal parts crunchy peanut butter

and

softened cream cheese

topped with a bit of honey

just a little schmear

for those of us who

think Elvis knew what he was doing