Mom's Best Banana Bread

I promise you that my mom's banana bread recipe is the absolute BEST you'll ever make or taste -- I've tried other banana bread recipes, but - they don't even come close to my Mom's -- Love you Mommy!

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups  mashed bananas (4 to 5 Medium bananas)
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2⁄3 cup sugar (or Splenda, whatever you like)
• 2  eggs, separated (Large or Medium)
• 1 1⁄2 ounces milk
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2  tablespoons flax seeds
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped walnuts (optional) or 1⁄4 cup pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Cream together butter, sugar, & egg yolks until creamy.
2. Sift dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg). Alternately add the dry mixture to the creamed butter mixture as well as the milk & mashed bananas. Beat the egg whites until a stiff peak forms and fold in with a wooden spoon, (make sure you only use a wooden spoon to do this - this is KEY), next - fold in the chopped nuts also stir in with the wooden spoon.
3. Bake in a loaf pan that you have sprayed with olive oil or non-stick spray and dusted lightly with flour at 350° for approximately 45 minutes - insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf to ensure it is not runny, if it is - allow to bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
4. Cool on a wire rack and serve with cream cheese or your favorite margarine.
5. Note: I love to wait a day and then toast a piece in my toaster oven - it is SO good when it gets re-heated and toasty with butter on it and a cup of coffee - YUM!