Shanna Like(s) Banana (Bread)

Shanna Banana Bread

What do you think of my oh-so-clever title huh?  You can laugh at me, it’s okay.  My brain is running on fumes right now after the big presenation on Tuesday.  In fact, I sent out a email invite to our Executive Advisors for a celebratory dinner and not only did I not adjust for being on Mountain time (versus Pacific as my email is set to), I also picked the wrong day.  No wonder they didn’t show up Tuesday night…whoops! 8)

Would you believe I’ve never made banana bread?  Seems kind of odd being that it’s nearly my namesake..haha.  I have made other breads, just not banana, so when Cooking Light’s October 2010 featured “The Perfect Banana Bread” I knew I had to make it.

Cooking Light PB BB

I’ve taken their PB BB and adapted it (because that’s how I roll!) and what do you end up with?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (or PBCCBB )

Here’s what you need:

• 1.5 cups mashed ripe banana (this was nearly 6 small bananas for me)
• 1/3 cup plain fat free yogurt (I used vanilla fat free)
• 1/3 cup creamy PB (I used Omega-3 JIF creamy)
• 3 tbsp butter (I used Blue Bonnet)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (I used Trader Joe’s blueberry flaxseed)
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice (I used pumpkin pie spice)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (not in CL’s recipe)

Here’s how to make it:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg
• Spray mini-loaf pans (or large loaf pan) with PAM
• In a large bowl combine banana, yogurt, PB, butter, eggs.  Hand mix.
• Next slowly add in both sugars into same bowl until blended
• In a separate smaller bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients (minus the chocolate chips) and stir together until blended
• Slowly add flour mixture to banana mixture and continuously stir
• Stir in chocolate chips
• Pour batter evenly into 4 loaf tins
• Bake for approximately 50-55 minutes (note, if you are baking in a 9×5, this will take longer).  Bread is done when toothpick comes out clean from the center
• Remove, eat, love.

Now how ’bout some pictures?

Mashed nanners

Pre-baking (such a great loaf pan, no?)

Done-zo!

These loaves were soooo enormously tasty.  I loved them.  Simply loved them.  The PB adds a subtle flavor, but truly the chocolate chips are what makes this bread   We ate one that evening, gave one to the bestie, and two remained before I went on work travel.

I returned from Denver yesterday stoked to lay into a warm piece slathered with a bit of butta, and guess what?  No bread   Hubby must have ate it all.  Dangit!

What do you add in to your BB?

Do you ever make a treat, get excited to eat it, only to find it’s gone?