Banana Bread it is!

Well, I caved and even though I have a number of chocolate cookies leftover as well as a growing supply of Valentine's Day chocolates (the BEST Valentine present ever) I caved and made banana bread. But to be fair - it isn't for me.

Matt has some ski clients coming into town and they and their kids seem to really like banana bread - no nuts, no chocolate - JUST plain banana bread. At least, I think they like it. I don't like it that much anyway, so I am giving it to them.

Banana bread has never been one of my favorites - mostly it just tastes like overripe bananas and since I prefer green bananas anyway it isn't really up my alley. But with a few spices added in and a brown sugar/cinnamon crumble (coffee cake style) on top - it isn't bad! Especially if you slice it thick and paint it with a layer of melted chocolate chips....mmm....

BANANA BREAD
(adapted from America's Test Home Kitchen Family Baking Book)

2 cups of flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large very ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups) mashed well
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole or low fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts (optional - I leave these out)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bread pan (about 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan).

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla together. gently fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. The batter will look thick and chunky.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top (this is where I add a mixture of sugar, cinnamon and brown sugar to sprinkle on top). Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached - about 55 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through the baking time.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool for one hour before serving.

Then, I suggest slicing it and spreading it with melted chocolate...mmm...everything is better with chocolate...