Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I've decided that not all banana breads are created equal. This is after years of experimentation. Partially what I've decided is that I like zucchini bread MORE so banana bread pales (literally) in comparison.

But still, I love a good banana bread with chocolate chips, so this is part Ruthy/part web pineapple banana bread and I love it.

But if you don't like pineapple, go look up a boring, not as sweet, moist and chewy banana bread and be happy. That is my Tuesday wish for you.

Here we go:  This original recipe is from Allrecipes.com and is attributed to Mary Watkins of Minnesota. Thank you, Mary!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 16 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and patted dry with paper towels
• 2 cups mashed ripe bananas

Note: Cute kid is not a requirement, but always welcome at Ruthy's house!



Oh, no. My help has now magnified itself. There is a TODDLER in the room!!!


Put all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix with spoon. Add in oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix by hand or with electric mixer, but don't overmix.

Mash bananas at some point here. I had my handy-dandy trusty 18 month old apprentice help:

Really ripe bananas work best for banana bread. If you were making banana cream pie, a Herne favorite...  Then you would want firmer, just ripe bananas. But for bread:  use the dark, almost mushy variety.

And here is our helper, mushing away!

How adorable is he????

While big brother earnestly works at his "work station":

Add in the bananas and the patted-dry pineapple. (The reason I pat it dry is to use MORE pineapple than traditional recipes and not have to cut the oil. As always, it's all about ratio, right????)

Mix well and then add a cup and a little or chopped chocolate. I use the Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips and cut them up because I love Ghirardelli chocolate, but the chips are kind of BIG for bread. They're perfect for cookies. So you can either chop them up, leave them whole, or put them through your food processor just a little... Enough to 'cut them down to size', kind of like Mary Connealy does to me.

Brat.

Pour into two greased and floured bread pans OR use for muffins and pour into greased and floured or lined muffin pans. Big muffins work way better than small because of the chocolate chip content.

Bake at 350 degrees in center of oven if possible.... Usually this takes between 45-65 minutes, depending on size of pan. A 9" pan will bake quicker... 8", longer. Muffins are more in the 20 minute and up range depending on size.

These are luscious alone or with cream cheese frosting and or filling. To fill the cooled bread, simply slice the loaf in half from short side to short side, spread the cream cheese frosting, then replace top and either frost...

or not.

Wonderful!