Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease the pan with cooking spray.
Using an electric mixer, cream the brown sugar and shortening, or butter, together for five minutes. If using shortening, the mixture will not be smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg in if desired.
Mash up the banana thoroughly. Alternate adding the mashed banana and dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Beat after every addition.
Mix in chocolate chips or chopped nuts if desired. The batter will be thick.
Carefully add the banana bread mixture to the greased baking pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, checking with a toothpick until it comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving it onto a wire rack.
Unfortunately, banana bread can dry out easily. For this recipe, check the bread at 40 minutes with a toothpick to see if it is done. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If there are lots of crumbs on the toothpick, continue baking for up to five more minutes, checking periodically to see if it is done.