Fun With Nutella and Other Mixed Nuts by Shell

 I realized I was in trouble when I was elbows deep in a Sam’s Club sized jar of Nutella and consuming it with a zeal I hadn’t possessed about anything in my life for the past seven years.  What is it about nuts combined with vanilla or chocolate and whipped into submission then put in a jar for consumption?  I could live on this stuff!  Combine it with peanut butter and put in on my all time favorite food of all – the humble toast - and even the pickiest of them will be singing Hallelujah! 

It was at this moment of enlightenment when I simultaneously realized with horror that not only did I have this giant jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, but I also owned a pretty good sized jar of vanilla hazelnut spread from World Market.  How did this end up in my cupboard?  I needed to do something fast!  Running to turn on my oven, I accidentally passed by the mirror and noticed my face was smeared with chocolate….I looked like a crazy person!  I grabbed 3 overripe bananas on the counter and my Mom’s cookbook: “From Blueberries to Wild Roses” and made quick work of an altered recipe:

Put the Spoon Down! Banana Bread with Whipped Nut Spreads

1/2 cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 stick of butter/softened

3 ripe bananas, smushed

1/3 c. nutella + ¼ c. vanilla hazelnut spread (or whatever you have on hand)

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1¾ c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

¾ t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine sugars, butter, bananas, egg, vanilla, nutella and vanilla hazelnut spread.  Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl.   Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix.  Put in a bread pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until center is done.  Cool completely before serving.  This bread is great with some cinnamon sugar toasted pecans on top (if you have them handy). 

Thanks Mom, you’re the best!!!