Just about every family has at least one recipe that is an absolute hit with everyone. It gets made so many times growing up that cousins, aunts, uncles, best friends, and just about everyone in between has requested it at some point because it’s simply that good. It’s the kind of recipe that not only brings your family together as adults but somehow unlocks memories and traditions that make it feel even more special and entirely yours.

My mom’s banana bread is that recipe for us. It has been made for everything over the years and it was made a lot growing up because bananas go bad fast! I’m also a banana snob. I like mine more green than yellow and the second they get a speck of brown, that’s it for me. Too sweet. Thus, the banana bread recipe emerges from the recipe box.

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Continuing the Banana Bread Tradtion

As many of you know, I’m fully moved into my new home with future Mr. Trip Side. Now that we’re in the same space we’re finally able to meal plan properly, but last week was a lot and we missed a few bananas while running boxes and trying to unpack at the same time.

Though it was a stress bake in the middle of a chaotic kitchen surrounded by everything imaginable, I was so excited to finally make this recipe in our new home. I decided to make it extra special by adding a few fun extras to the mix. I went off script and it was honestly for the best because it turned out to be one of the best batches I’ve ever made.

In all honesty the recipe is not that hard. It’s wonderfully simple and I think one of the biggest secrets is not over mixing the eggs but also not under mixing them either. The recipe normally calls for three bananas and I only used two, which were not especially overripe. It was such a quick bake that I was a little worried I hadn’t baked enough love into it. Spoiler: I had. 😄

What I Changed

On to the fun stuff! Ad will never say no to sugar and we had a pack of Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips that were absolutely begging to be used. I was also desperate to clear out some cupboard space for my things. So I grabbed about a quarter cup of pumpkin seeds and made sure to save a small handful to press into the top before baking.

Pumpkin seeds are so underrated. They’re genuinely delicious and considered a superfood. High in magnesium, zinc, fiber, and heart healthy fats. Any time I can sneak them into something, I do.

This is also not the first time I’ve gone off script with this recipe. The original calls for walnuts but my mom rarely added them. I’ve come to love them in the mix as an adult. And during autumn I’ve been known to add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cranberries. I know, a little unexpected, but it works. I’d love to keep experimenting this year. I see a lot of ripe bananas in our future.

The Story

This is my mom’s recipe but she actually found it in a recipe book at a church sale when I was very little. She made it once and my dad was so thrilled that it became the family staple immediately. We’ve tried other banana bread recipes over the years, including a few healthier versions. 😑 All I have to say about that is: if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Period.

My mom still has the original book and none of us know the name of it. We all have our own handwritten copies now and she has tried many of the other recipes inside over the years but none of them ever came close to this one. Needless to say, this was a one hit wonder for us.

I’ll Never Share It

That’s both true and a little bit of a lie at the same time. I’ve shared this recipe a handful of times over the years but only with friends and family. I’m not a food blogger, though I’ve tried in the past. I’m a lifestyle blogger through and through.

It’s also something that feels deeply mine. It has history and I don’t need to know when others alter it, change it entirely, or go rogue with it. I want it cherished exactly as it is, even as I tinker with it myself. I also want this to be something that carries on in my family. I would love for my niece and nephew to experience it someday and have their own copies. Mine is titled “Mom’s Banana Bread” in my recipe box but the thought of someone writing “Mémere’s Banana Bread” on theirs someday might actually bring me to tears. 🥹

It’s a little silly how the scent of something can flood you with memories, or how one bite of a particular bread can bring an immediate smile. I hope this one carries on for a long time.

So I’m sorry for not sharing the recipe today. There are so many wonderful recipes out there and I know you’ll find one you love. If you happen to have an amazing apple pie recipe with a lattice top, please share it in the comments below! My mom has a version with a crumble top but I’m on the hunt for a proper lattice. 🥧

As always, thank you so much for reading. We’re so excited to be in the same home and to start building our recipe box together. I have a feeling this In the Kitchen series is going to be a lot of fun.

xoxo