Banana Pumpkin Bread ... yes please

My favorite banana bread in the world is my mother's. I just told James the other day that if someone were to ask him what MY favorite dough is, he should say it's a tie between my mom's banana bread and Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie dough. Can't even believe I'm saying that but its SO totally true. Anyways, that craving knocked me over the head while I was home in Charlotte but, you know me... I can't just follow a recipe. So here's the revised pumpkin version of her banana bread.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar (moms recipe actually called for 1 cup but I'm not so much into the sweet so I brought it back a little)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose & 1 cup whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 bananas, smashed and preferably rotten.. at least partially.
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup nuts, optional but walnuts would be totally to die for

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and grease a loaf pan.

(random side note: you could split this into two loaf pans and make two flat loaves... why would you want to do that? well, if you happen to be going to a baby shower or bridal shower this fall, this could be a really wonderful light cake as well. Just make them in two loaf pans, make half batch of the cream cheese frosting from the pumpkin cookies, frost the top of one, layer them and frost all over. quick and easy, light and delicious banana pumpkin cake!)

Cream butter and sugar with your electric mixer. Don't have an electric mixer? No worries, this recipe is super easy on the wrist if you just need to stir it all. Add eggs and dry ingredients. Stir well. Add bananas, pumpkin and nuts and stir until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan(s) and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your oven. The edges should just start to lift away from the pan and be getting a little golden. And yes, it's just fine if there's a huge gaping slit down the center. It adds character. ;)

I made this bread probably two weeks ago and it hardly lasted two days. It's so moist and delicious and really... pleasantly mild..? Not sure if that's what I'm looking for but, the point is it's awesome. And if you want to spice it up a little, literally, toss in some cinnamon and nutmeg or get even gutsier with it and toss in stewed apples and ginger. But I'm DEFINITELY gonna try my new idea of that frosted version of it- don't know why I didn't think of that earlier? You guys just inspire me to want to be better and more creative! :)

In other random news... when you google search "chocolate truffle cheesecake," look who comes up SECOND! Right behind Taste of Home and just AHEAD of Food Network! Guys! How fun!!!

Lots and lots of love on this crisp Autumn day...

xox

ps- more info to come on giveaways! anyone want free stuff?? ;)