Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread

I heart bananas. But this love is very conditional. My naners have to be firm, blemish-free and quite green. So what to do with very yellow bananas, sitting on the counter getting mushy and starting to brown? Throw them out without a second thought? 

Normally, yes, without even a hint of remorse. But then I'd miss out on something amazing. Moist banana bread heavily laced with semi-sweet chocolate chips and walnuts. Unbelievably delicious and perfect for a November day. 

{Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread}

adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup sugar 

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, softened 
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 teaspoon 
vinegar added to 1/2 cup milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and move oven rack into low position. Grease bottom only of a loaf pan, 9 by 5 by 3. Mix sugar and butter, stir in eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until just moistened. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. I covered my loaf with tin foil to avoid excessive browning. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Then remove from pan and let cool at least 2 hours before slicing.

 

This quick bread is moist, hefty, nutty and oozing with chocolate. Suggestions: slice it, butter it, cover it in jam. Dip it in hot chocolate, spread it with peanut butter, turn in into French toast. Or eat in in hunks, straight out of the oven. The possibilities are endless.