Lemon-Glazed Banana Bread

Two of my children like bananas very much and will gobble down a bunch of them with a day, using them in milkshakes, on cereal, or just popped out of the peel. I never learn, however, that once I've provided them with a bunch of bananas more than twice in the same week, they suddenly stop eating them and I get to watch the transformation of bananas from a pretty yellow to a mushy brown. That's when banana bread inspiration kicks in for me. This is an easy recipe. Most recipes call for walnuts but I prefer pecans as the lemon seems to enhance the over all flavor. Hey, it could be our New Year's resolution - no more brown bananas wasting away on the kitchen counter!

Lemon-Glazed Banana Bread

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)
½ cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
grated zest of one lemon
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Beat together the eggs, bananas, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Add everything except the nuts and mix to just combine. Fold in the nuts and spread batter in a vegetable-oil sprayed loaf pan. Bake for approximately one hour at 325 degrees or until golden brown and done.

Cool for a few minutes on a rack. Glaze with lemon icing and finish cooling. Glazing it while it is still very warm helps the icing seep in a a bit.

Lemon Icing1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Enough fresh lemon juice to form an icing