Banana Hazelnut Bread with Nutella Swirl

Banana bread normally doesn't do much for me. I usually make banana muffins (or "nuffins" as my older daughter calls them) when I have brown bananas staring pathetically at me from the counter. They are faster, use only one bowl, one spoon--and best of all--taste like a cupcake when you "frost" them with Nutella. I tried that on a whim one latenight a couple years ago and never went back. Nutella is better than any other tub of crappy frosting you'd ever buy. You really should try it. Anyway, when I saw a recipe for a banana bread with Nutella swirled in posted on Tasty Kitchen a few weeks ago, I knew it would be a winner. It surpassed my expectations and won rave reviews when I took it to Bible study for my small group snack last week. My only regret is that I didn't photograph this glorious bread, so you will just have to make it yourself to see how lovely (and tasty) it is.

Banana Hazelnut Bread with Nutella Swirl
-from Tastykitchen.com
 

• 4 whole ripe bananas
• 1 stick  melted butter (real stuff, please)
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped hazelnuts (Target sells these already chopped in the baking aisle)
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 4 T. Nutella

Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Mix well, then add baking soda, salt, and hazelnuts. Lastly, add flour and stir until just combined. Pour into a greased (well-sprayed) loaf pan. Drop the Nutella by tablespoonfuls down the center of the batter (you will have a nice line of 4 dollops) and then swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. Cool slightly and invert on a baking rack.