Chef John's Banana Bread

 3 ripe bananas (mashed & set aside), 2 cups flour, 1 t. salt, 1 t. baking soda, 1 t. baking powder, 1/2 cup butter (softened), 1 cup sugar, 3 large eggs, 1/4 t. vanilla, 1 T. milk, 1 cup walnuts (chopped), 1/3 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips (amount can vary depending on how much you like)

In a medium bowl mash bananas and set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.  Mix butter and sugar until smooth, beat in eggs and milk.  Add vanilla and mashed bananas and beat to blend.  Empty into the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir to blend.  Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.  

Grease a 9 x 4 loaf pan and sprinkle some flour in it to lightly coat.  Empty combined mixture into loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes.(Depending on oven temperature)  Remove from oven and set on stove top or counter to cool 15 minutes and remove from pan.  

Tip:  To keep moist and fresh wrap in waxed paper and then wrap with foil sealing in freshness right after removing from pan.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Homemade Butter Pie Crust

 Single pie crust:

1 1/2 cups flour, 1 T. sugar, 1/2 cup butter (softened), 1/4 cup cold water, 1 T white vinegar, 1/2 t. salt.

Double recipe for 2 pie crusts or for a thin crust use one recipe and cut it 2/3 bottom crust and 1/3 top.  

I found rolling it into a ball and wrapping it up in plastic wrap and refrigerating it for an hour or until ready to roll out is best.  

I use parchment paper with flour when rolling out to exact size needed.