Bananas are good. (Brownies are better.)

Like most of my favorite recipes, this first one came from Kat, before In Kat's Kitchen existed. Before Twitter even existed. I know. You forgot there was a time before Twitter, didn't you? The other recipe comes from Martha Stewart, who I guess sort of knows her way around the kitchen.

Banana bread is one of the first things I ever learned how to bake. Brownies were the other thing. My mom taught me how to make both and I have many fond memories of us baking together on rainy weekends. I would mash the bananas while my mom got the other ingredients ready, my mom would sigh heavily when (not if) I spilled the flour everywhere, and (my favorite), if I helped, I'd get to lick the beaters (not Fred and George Weasley) after mixing the brownie batter.

Both of these recipes are from the comfort food department (located directly across the hall from the Department of Mysteries).

Kat's Banana Bread (with rum!)

You will need:

4 bananas (old ones that have gone a bit soft)
1/3 c melted butter
1 c sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp dark rum
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/2 c flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Mix all the ingredients in that order.

3. Bake for at least an hour (possibly more...just keep checking it after it's been in for an hour or it'll get burnt and gross and you'll hate everyone).

4. Let cool, slice, and eat. I like to spread a bit of butter on a warm slice until it's nice and melty. DROOOOOL.

Martha Stewart Brownies* (nutty or nutless)

You will need:

1/2 c unsalted butter
8 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.

2. Place butter and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until almost melted. Remove from heat and stir until completely melted. (Note: sometimes this seems like a huge pain in the ass so I melt everything in the microwave.)

3. Whisk sugar and salt into chocolate mixture until smooth; whisk in eggs until combined. Gently whisk in flour just until smooth (don't overmix). Fold in nuts (heh), if desired. And who doesn't desire nuts every now and then?

4. Spread batter evenly in baking pan. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Cut into tiny squares or big squares or, I don't know, triangles if that's your thing and try not to eat them all in one sitting because THAT'S HOW GOOD THEY ARE.

*from this cookbook