ChocaNana Bread

I should market the word ChocaNana. I think it could be the new big thing; last year it was cupcakes, this year it's ChocaNana! Actually I think this is the year blondies are big. Seriously. Look for my Blondie Madness Week coming soon.

But back to the topic at hand...I'm convinced one of the loveliest aromas in the world is the smell of my Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread. Something about it just makes everything in the world seems okay. It's thick, dense, not too chewy, not too melty, and has a rich taste of bananas, just like a good nana bread should.


Too bad the loaf I baked today is gone already. Sigh. I should have made several loaves.

You can mash the bananas with a fork (my preferred method) or process very lightly in the food processor. I think you'll find the fork method much better though. I like leaving a few chunks but you're welcome to mash into more of a pudding texture. Also feel free to add more chocolate chips and nuts if you wish. Just remember this is a very thick, heavy bread.

You'll need a loaf pan (9x5), lightly greased, and a few bowls.

ChocoNana Bread

6-7 overripe bananas, mashed (you want about 2 cups)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 brown sugar
2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, add in flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In another bowl, add the brown sugar and butter and mix together until just incorporated. Add in the eggs and whisk together until they are beaten and everything is creamy. Add in the mashed bananas, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Stir a few times.

Add the banana mixture to the flour and stir until everything is well moistened; you want to make sure there are no "pockets" of flour.

Add the mix into the loaf pan and bake for one hour. let the loaf cool in pan for fifteen minutes, then turn out into cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy.