Justina's banana bread

One of the nicest compliments I ever got from my dad was that a batch of banana bread I'd made was the closest I'd ever come to duplicating his grandmother's bread. This is hard to resist straight out of the oven.


1/2 cup shortening (this is about the only time I use margarine)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (I use more like a tablespoon of my favorite Mexican vanilla)
1/2 teaspoon salt (sometimes I use this and sometimes I don't)
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sour milk (add 1/4 teaspoon vinegar and let sour)
3 mashed bananas

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, then vanilla, then milk. Sift dry ingredients together and beat in. Fold in mashed bananas. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Makes one large or 2-3 small pans.