Lee's Banana Bread

My little sister, Nathalie, is finally learning how to cook. Not that she is completely clueless--she does make a great breakfast--but she's beginning to look up recipes, and baking. She made this completely insane banana bread with real shortening, for crissakes! It's very moist and delicious and it's sure to become a family favorite. Also note, the chocolate chips are totally optional except for you chocoholics...and you know who you are!!!

INGREDIENTS (makes 3 loaves)

• 1 cup vegetable shortening, plus extra for greasing
• 2 1/2 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 6 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease 3 loaf pans with shortening, then add about 1 tablespoon flour into each pan and tilt pan to coat. Shake off any extra flour.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; stir to mix well.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together shortening, sugar, mashed bananas, and eggs. When well beaten, gradually add the flour mixture while mixture is at lowest speed. Mix only until combined.

Stir in any chopped walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts, and/or chocolate chips, if using.

Pour batter into the 3 loaf pans.

Bake for 65-70 minutes or until cake tests done (toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

Remove from oven and allow to sit for several minutes. Run a bread knife around edges of loaf pan to free it from sides and remove from pan.

Serve with whipped cream cheese spread on each slice, just to add a bit more fat if there isn't enough in the bread already!