chocolate chip banana bread

We have a fruit bowl in our kitchen that the kids can graze from any time they want a snack.  Some months we cannot keep enough clementine oranges in supply and other months we are buying 2 or 3 bunches of bananas each week.  Right now, our kids are on a banana kick.  This morning I noticed the last few in the bunch started getting a little spotty; still perfectly fine for my peanut butter and banana toast breakfast, but I took the opportunity to use the last three bananas for some delicious banana bread!

You may notice an additional set of small hands because I gained another little helper this round.  He was upset he didn't get to help with the pickled eggs.

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Pictured above are all my ingredients.  Note: you can skip the chocolate chips or substitute for another ingredient, like walnuts!  Because we're baking in this blog, I have to be a little more specific with my measurements instead of my anti-measuring cup, "glass-full" portions.  I still try, as much as I can, to use same-size measurements for multiple ingredients which uses less dishes.  You can probably get away with 3-4 dishes total (large mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, 1  cup, and 1 teaspoon).

Shopping List:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Total Cost: Under $15 
Prep Time: 75-80 mins

Instructions:
1- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2- Mash up bananas in large mixing bowl.
3- Melt stick of butter in microwave for 30 seconds.
4- Beat the two large eggs in small bowl.
5- Mix both butter and eggs to the smashed bananas in large mixing bowl.  Mix in sugar.
6- Add baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and salt. Mix together.
7- Carefully mix in flour
8- Fold in chocolate chips.
9- Pour mixture into lightly greased non-stick loaf pan.
10- Bake in oven for approximately 1 hour.

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When baking, I put it in for 55 minutes to begin.  I use the "fork test" to see if it is fully cooked.  Place a fork in the top of the bread.  If there is batter stuck to the fork after removing it, leave the loaf pan in the oven for an additional 3-4 minutes.  Keep repeating the process until fully cooked.
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If you're cooking with kids, you will need one other ingredient you unfortunately cannot buy at the store: patience!

I hope you enjoy our not-so-healthy chocolate chip banana bread recipe.  I know our kiddos do!
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