the banana bread moment and recipe

I turned into the driveway, pushed the garage door button, and turned off the windshield wipers. The sky was gray enough to have been a late November evening rather than April at lunchtime.  I walked into the warm kitchen unnoticed.

The scent of baking bread filled the room as Truman grabbed a pink blanket off the white chair. He leapt toward the oven and the blanket followed like a cape. Grace squealed and ran to retrieve her treasured security. Their mother didn’t turn to see—she already knew what was going on, “Truman, give it back to her.” The oven buzzer interrupted, “get out of the kitchen before you catch fire” and then, “Anna Mae please stop playing with the mixing bowl.”

“Why, what’s going to happen?”our sassy girl retorted not expecting an answer. She sat on the edge of the counter licking the spatula and flipping the switch on the mixer.

Theresa opened the oven and took out the golden loaf of bread. She turned around and kicked the oven door closed with the back of her leg. After placing the bread on the waiting rack she stopped and looked at Anna Mae, “I won’t share any of the bread with you and you’ll starve,” she teased.

At the same time Grace chased Truman through the dining room, past the front door, and into the living room. They played leap-frog over the mess of magnetic tiles and CD cases. Truman giggled and Grace squealed as they hopped onto the fireplace hearth. Without missing a beat they began singing along with Van Halen, “Might as well jump…jump…go ahead and jump…jump,” they leapt into the air and spotted me watching them. “Daddy,” they yelled and ran into my arms.

“Daddy, we made bread” Anna Mae joined the hug.

“I would have cleaned up if I knew you were coming for lunch,” Theresa glanced at the living room mess apologetically.

“I wanted to surprise you,” I whispered and kissed her on the neck, “besides, I’m just here for the banana bread.”

 

Banana Bread (from my mom)

2 cups flour

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ tablespoon sour milk

2 over ripe bananas

½ cup nuts (optional)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the dry ingredients, alternate adding milk and bananas and add the nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Cool on a rack.

* KWG dialogue workshop exercise