Another Banana Bread Post

I seem to make a lot of banana bread, mostly because I too often find myself the owner of many very ripe bananas.  You see, I am a lover of smoothies, especially ones that start with a banana – which is especially weird since I don’t really like bananas, in general.  And as a lover of banana-based smoothies, though, I sometimes overshoot how many I will use before they turn to “banana bread brown”, thus the plethora of banana bread posts on this blog.

As a kid, I had one of those scratch-and-sniff picture books full of delicious “smelling” drawings of cupcakes, peaches, strawberries, chocolate ice cream cones, and cookies.  And one stinking banana – and I mean that literally.  To me, very few things are as noxious smelling as fake banana sent, or as cloying in taste as banana extract flavored baked goods. Blech. But, when one uses real bananas, and mix them with sugar, butter, flour, and eggs, I. Am. All. In.  Once again, as we discover almost every day in the kitchen, the alchemy of cooking magically transforms something gross into something craveable.

Having just done a big 200 mile week, gotten Covid, kept doing miles while recovering, and trying to get over the lingering cough, I have been wanting my comfort food to provide extra-level comfort.  To that end, what better way to make banana bread tickle your toes than to add chocolate chips, of course.  Then, after you’ve scarfed down half the loaf during your afternoon “recovery” snacking, turn a couple of pieces into a peanut butter and chocolate chip banana bread sandwich.  Yes, please.  It is all so good.

Even after the banana bread, I still have two bananas on my counter that look like they spent the weekend in the Caribbean getting a nice tan and a patchwork of freckles.  I think the only rational adult solution is to turn them into another loaf and put it in the freezer.  It has been a hard couple of years, and I don’t think there is any shame stockpiling necessities, just in case.  For some, this means extra toilet paper and meat.  But for others, it means having a ready-made supply of things that remind us of kitchen magic.

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups AP flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled

1/2  cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 ripe banans, mashed

3/4 cup chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9 x 5** inch loaf pan using butter or baking spray, then, if desired lay in a parchment “sling” for easier removal (spray the sling, too).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, on medium, beat together the melted butter and brown sugar until the brown sugar is fully softened – about 2 minutes.  Add the egg and beat on medium for 1 minute.  Add the vanilla, mix on medium low, and then the mashed bananas, mixing until incorporated.

With mixer on low, slowly blend in the dry mixture. Beat only until fully incorporated.

Add the chocolate chips and mix gently.

Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife in the center comes out clean.

**  This mixture fits a smaller loaf pan better, but most people only have the standard 9 x 5, so I’m using that. If you do have a smaller pan, you will need to adjust your bake time accordingly.

 

Tagged as: banana bread, banana bread peanut butter sandwich, Chocolate chip banana bread, recovery treats