Little compares to the delightful ecstasy of warm, fresh banana bread. Its beauty is undeniable. Versatility, unmatched. Comfort, untouchable. It is, in a word, perfection.

Let’s all take a moment to act surprised that I can write a much deeper and more heartfelt love note to a baked good than to a man.

One day, I will have a very fat, jealous husband.

A couple of weeks ago, two of my girlfriends moved into my apartment complex. Since then, life has been a raging slumber party. Okay, maybe without the Ouija board and prank calls. But definitely with the lingerie and pillow fights.

Or so I let you think.

The other day, my friend/ new neighbor decided to do something productive with the pungent rotting fruit on her counter, and thus this banana bread was born. I particularly enjoyed taking a night off from trying to operate a five-pound camera and stir at the same time.

Damn, it feels good to be a mooch.

She used the recipe found here, but we substituted greek yogurt for sour cream and left out the nuts. Because anyone who is friends with me is probably nutty enough already. You could add mini chocolate chips, any type of nut, or whatever your little heart desires.

Here is the recipe, the way that we made it. Except that we doubled it, because we really like bread.

Shut up, there were two of us.

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Mash or puree the bananas, as shown.

Mix banana mush with sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a food processor or with a beater.

Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fixed with a whisk attachment. Add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter.

Mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the banana mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing on medium speed between each addition.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until lightly browned and bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Try not to kill yourself, because you can smell it baking after about half an hour. And you have to wait an eternity.

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely. Or stuff in your face and burn your tongue. Probably worth it.

I know you’re supposed to eat banana bread for breakfast, but I just don’t see why we need to confine such a delicious item to the wee hours of the morning.

Which is why I ate two slices for dinner last night. And the night before.

Bake with love, and enjoy whenever you please. Because if someone judges you for replacing your meal with banana bread, you can always tell them I did it twice. So really, you’re being good.

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