Bananarama...

My kids eat a lot of bananas. They only like them when they are almost ripe with a tinge of green still on the ends though. Once they lose that green and start developing the brown spots, it's over. My son will hand back a ripe banana and say that it's too "buttery". I didn't realize there was such a thing as too buttery. The more the merrier I say! I guess when it comes to bananas, buttery isn't good. Strangely, I too like my bananas slightly under-ripe. Who knew that stuff was hereditary? So this gives me a two day window with the yellow fruit. The rejects are turned into sweet and moist banana bread. Here's the recipe that I always use.

Milk Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 eggs (large or extra-large), beaten
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 LARGE, very ripe bananas; mashed
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips (Ghirardelli's are delicious) or toasted chopped walnuts or both!

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your loaf pan and dust it with flour. Tap out the excess flour.

Melt the butter in a large glass mixing bowl. Microwave works great. Set aside to cool. In the meantime, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a separate mixing bowl. Set aside

Add the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs and vanilla to the melted butter bowl. Mix well. Next add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the bowl and fold until just combined. Don't over mix. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes. If a toothpick comes out clean then it's done. If not then bake for a few more minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

*Try putting a couple slices in the microwave and then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! It tastes like bread pudding.




Cool Tools:

Calphalon Classic Bakeware 5-by-10-Inch Rectangular Nonstick Large Loaf Pan