Ok, so I’m starting a blog. Why? It’s not like I don’t have anything else to do with a husband, four boys age-5 and under and a four-foot-long lizard. I’m starting it because I like to cook and my recipes are currently all over the place. I’m going to post the ones that I love on this site so I know where they are, and so I can share them with friends. I’m going to start with one of my all-time favorites, banana bread. I’ve tried dozens of banana bread recipes over the years and this is the one I like the best. My son Andrew (age 4) and I made a loaf yesterday morning and it’s already gone. I like the fact that it’s simple and it’s made with whole wheat flour. When you cut into this bread, it will appear darker than most traditional banana breads. It’s the whole wheat flour, it’s not burned.

Do you like the picture of the salt in the blog header? My husband took it. Charles had the camera in the kitchen yesterday when Andrew and I were making the banana bread. Charles took a picture of Andrew pouring my favorite salt into the batter.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 overripe bananas (I think they’re best when the entire skin is almost black)
1/2 stick (2 oz.) butter, melted and cooled
1 extra large egg
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the egg, butter and vanilla extract. Mix well, then add all other ingredients. Stir until everything is moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the greased loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it.

Sometimes I add 1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans to the batter. I like nuts in the bread, but the boys don’t, so I have to chop them very small so the boys don’t see them. This bread is delicious with or without the nuts.

Yield: One loaf

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