The BEST banana nut bread ever...SERIOUSLY!

I got this awesome recipe from a teacher that I worked under for most of my college experience. I got it several years ago, but until this past Christmas I never attempted making it-I thought it would be too difficult. Boy was I wrong! It's super easy and so delicious!
Banana Bread:

You need 1/3 cup softened butter and it's really best to sit it out on the kitchen counter and let it come to room temperature. And it needs to be REAL salted butter, not margarine. Don't be tempted to soften this butter in the microwave...it just really doesn't work well.

Grease your bread pan and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the softened butter and 1 cup of regular white sugar.

Add 2 eggs to the butter and sugar mixture. Blend well.

Mash 3 ripe bananas. As you can see, mine were very ripe. They don't have to be quite this ripe! I like to mash mine in a shallow bowl with a fork.

I mash the bananas individually and add them one at a time to the batter.

Add 1 and 2/3 cup of all purpose flour.

Add 1 teaspoon of baking SODA.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking POWDER.

Add 1/2 a teaspoon of vanilla. ( I like vanilla, so I don't measure this exactly!)

Add 1/3 cup water.

Add pecans...I have no idea how much because the original recipe doesn't call for them. Add as many as you like!

Pour the mixed batter into a bread pan. I've used disposable ones before and they work well also.

Add 4 heaping teaspoons of butter to the top of the uncooked bread. I actually use good ol' Parkay here (of of the tub or from the stick).

Add brown sugar to the top of the butter and uncooked bread. Again, no measurement, just to cover the top.

Place the bread in the 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes (or until the center is cooked) and this is the finished product!!!

Here's the entire recipe and ingredient list:

1 Cup sugar

1 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup softened butter (real butter!)

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 and 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup water

4 pats of butter

brown sugar to coat top

*Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the botton of a loaf pan. Mix sugar and butter, add eggs. Add bananas and water. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into loaf pan. Put 4 pats of butter on uncooked bread then sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes.

ENJOY!