{Banana Nut French Toast}

My very first trip to Fort Worth was the second to last weekend of August 2011.  Matt took me to {Lucile's Stateside Bistro} for brunch that Saturday. We drank bloody mary's and feasted on cheese grits, breakfast pizza, bacon and...the {original} banana nut french toast!

I say {original} because following this meal, Matt & I were convinced that we could replicate this dish. And we had big plans to do just that!

It was Matt's turn next to make the trip to visit me in St. Louis, and we got lucky because it landed on Labor Day Weekend.  Between those two weeks, we did our research & raked through many different banana nut bread recipes.  We finally deemed one usable (of course, with a few adaptations of our own)... Matt e-mailed me the ingredient list and printed off the recipe.  We were prepared for Saturday's brunch, and it was {delicious!!!}

{red, white and blue banana nut french toast}

We've returned to {Lucile's} several more times over the past year. Occasionally I felt adventurous and ordered something else like the dutch baby pancake or wood roasted frittata...but nothing compares to the Lucile's banana nut french toast! 

My parents gave Matt a griddle for Christmas, but as of last week, we still had yet to use it...

Meanwhile... our friends, {Sloane & Mark}, invited us to join them at the lake this weekend.  Four couples were going so each couple signed up for a meal... Should we grill? How about salmon? One of my dad's chicken dishes?

Uh, no. It was {Labor Day Weekend!} so obviously that meant banana nut french toast :-) We made two loaves of bread - one banana nut and the other banana nut chocolate chip. 'Twas delicious!!  

Here's the recipe (adapted from Food Network Kitchens).  It is super easy and doesn't take too long.

1 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
2 large eggs at room temp.
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
3 {very} ripe banana - the riper, the better...for mushing purposes only.
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
And if you so desire, {mini chocolate chips} - as much as you want!

Sift flour, baking & salt into medium bowl. {Now set that aside}
Whisk eggs and vanilla together in measuring cup. {Set that aside too}
Lightly grease a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit {or 176.667 degrees celsius}

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy with hand-held mixer. 
Gradually pour egg mixture into butter while mixing.
Add bananas. {Finished with the mixer now}

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture and fold in nuts {& chocolate chips!}
Transfer batter to prepared pan. 
Bake for 55 minutes. {This is the perfect amount of time to watch an episode of "Breaking Bad"}
Cool bread for 5 minutes and then {feast!!! or make french toast with it...}

Matt & I suggest baking the bread the night before if you plan to use it for french toast :-)

Who bakes the banana nut bread? 
A) Jenny
B) Matt
C) Milly May
D) All of the above

Ding ding ding! The answer is B) Matt.  I just manage the kitchen and then eat it all up! 

Almost finished, but I couldn't publish a post without sharing some photos from the weekend...

{Milly May} gets to come along!

{Milly & Matt} on the dock

Hold me daddy! -{Milly}

{Mommy & Milly}

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! Thanks again to {Sloane & Mark} for hosting this family of 3 at the lake :-) we had so much fun!

-j