Grandma's Banana Nut Bread

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice.

Heat oven to 350
Grease bottom only of loaf pan. 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 ½ or 9x5x3 inches.

Mix sugar and margarine in 2 ½ quart bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas and water: beat 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts just until moistened; stir in nuts. Pour into pan.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 8-inch loaf, 1 hour 15 minutes, 9-inch loaf, 55 to 60 minutes; cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan: remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing. 1 loaf (24 slices); 120 calories per slice.

Note: Use very ripe bananas, but not black ones!