Banana Bread

° Makes 1 loaf

There is practically no work involved in this recipe—the ingredients can be combined in a food processor in three stages and take less than a minute to put together. Use ripe bananas: Those with some dark, spotted skin have the intense flavor that makes this bread so special.

This is excellent for breakfast and makes a nice addition to a bread basket. Well wrapped, it will keep for a few days at room temperature or for weeks in the freezer.

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 very ripe bananas
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with the oil. Place the flour, baking powder, butter, and sugar in a food processor and process for 10 to 15 seconds, until the ingredients are well combined.

Peel the bananas, break them into pieces, and add them to the processor. Process for 5 to 10 seconds, until the bananas are incorporated. Add the eggs, milk, and sunflower seeds and process for a few seconds, just until the ingredients are well combined.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and place the pan on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 60 minutes, until well set and nicely browned on top. Cool for a few minutes in the pan on a wire rack before unmolding.

It takes less than a minute to make this batter in a food processor.