Obviously I like chocolate and banana together! Apparently “nesting” for me just means prolific baking. I also washed the couch.

Breads freeze so well and I figured it would be nice to slice and have out when people are around. This is an America’s Test Kitchen recipe which means it is full proof. I believe this even more wholeheartedly after my recent blueberry muffin debacle.

debacle: I had some dumb cutesy cookbook that someone had given me for my wedding, and I had all ingredients needed to make the blueberry oat muffins. I made them, following the stupid directions exactly as written. Thirty minutes later my husband walks in to see me picking up muffins and chucking them, literally as hard as I could- like with a wind up- into the garbage disposal. He said “what can I do to help, do you want me to eat a muffin?”. He’s a nice boy. I said yes. I was reminded again that if you want to be completely sure a recipe will turn out correctly, use one from America’s Test Kitchen! Stupid muffins, what a waste.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Makes 1 9×5 in. loaf, or two 6×4

Slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

2 c. all purpose flour

10 tbsp. sugar (1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp.)

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted

1/2 c. chocolate chips, chopped

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 c.)

1/4 c. plain yogurt (I used nonfat yogurt, use what you have as long as it’s plain)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

6 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour your pan(s). I used that spray, I think by Pillsbury, that is for “greasing and flouring”. It’s always worked great for me. If you don’t have this spray, rub about a tbsp. of butter over the entire inside surface, and then shake about 1 tbsp. worth of flour all around. Tap out excess flour over the sink or trash can. 

2. Toast walnuts (right on a skillet, medium heat-no oil needed-until they are fragrant). Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

4. Chop chocolate slightly and mix in with the dry ingredients. When your walnuts are cooled, add them and mix as well. Lastly, stir in cinnamon. If your walnuts aren’t cooled completely and you add them to the mix, they will melt your chocolate. Not good.

The chocolate chopping helps to disperse the chocolate throughout the bread.

5. In a medium bowl, mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla.

6. Pour wet ingredients over dry. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Batter should look thick and chunky.

7. Scoop into prepared pan(s).

8. Bake in center of the oven for 55 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the top center comes out cleanly. I used the slightly smaller pans so that I could make two breads. I was surprised to find it still took my breads a full 52 minutes. If using smaller pans your bread will bake for less time, but not THAT much less. 

9. Let bread cool at least 10 minutes in the pan, and then invert onto a wire rack. Bread would be great served warm; if keeping a while before serving, let bread cool completely and wrap in plastic wrap.  You can keep it at room temp for at least 3 days. If freezing, wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap and then completely/tightly in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

MmMmmm right before I ate it.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Makes 1 9×5 in. loaf, or two 6×4

Slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

2 c. all purpose flour

1 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted

10 tbsp. sugar (1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp.)

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 c.)

1/4 c. plain  yogurt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

6 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour your pan(s). I used that spray, I think by Pillsbury, that is for “greasing and flouring”. It’s always worked great for me. If you don’t have this spray, rub about a tbsp. of butter over the entire inside surface, and then shake about 1 tbsp. worth of flour all around. Tap out excess flour over the sink or trash can. 

2. Toast walnuts (right on a skillet, medium heat-no oil needed-until they are fragrant). Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

4. Chop chocolate slightly and mix in with the dry ingredients. When your walnuts are cooled, add them and mix as well. Lastly, stir in cinnamon.

5. In a medium bowl, mix mashed bananas,  yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla.

6. Pour wet ingredients over dry. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Batter should look thick and chunky.

7. Pour into prepared pan(s).

8. Bake in center of the oven for 55 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the top center comes out cleanly. I used the slightly smaller pans so that I could make two breads. I was surprised to find it still took my breads a full 52 minutes. If using smaller pans your bread will bake for less time, but not THAT much less. 

9. Let bread cool at least 10 minutes in the pan, and then invert onto a wire rack. Bread would be great served warm; if keeping a while before serving, let bread cool completely and wrap in plastic wrap.  You can keep it at room temp. for at least 3 days. If freezing, wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap and then completely in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.