An Easy Mother's Day Baking Recipe

My most cherished Mother's Day memories are ones where my children made me something with their own hands — a card, a drawing, a handwritten poem or, of course, something from the kitchen.

When it comes from the heart, it means so much more. In thinking about what kind of recipe to develop for Mother's Day, I wanted it to be something simple enough for someone who's not experienced with baking, like dad, or those who are a little less experienced, like children, to make. Quick breads fit the bill.

What makes quick breads quick is that they're made using a simple technique of combining dry ingredients and wet, and the batter can get into the oven in less than 10 minutes. As an added bonus, quick bread's texture improves if allowed to sit overnight at room temperature, so there's no last-minute baking to do (Sunday mornings are meant for snuggling in bed, anyway).

The only thing to remember about this recipe is that you must use very ripe bananas. They should have no green showing and preferably be covered with black speckles. When they look like this, their sugar content is at its highest and their flavor at its peak. No need to purée in a food processor, either. Simply mash them with a fork and leave slightly chunky. The number of bananas is approximate; just make sure you have 1 cup mashed banana.

Click here to see the Toffee Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe