I Converted!

I'm not usually a fan of banana bread. I don't know if it's because it's too banana-y or too nutty or too spicy...I'm not really sure why, I've just never been a fan. I don't like artificial banana flavor either, like Banana Laffy Taffy- gag! But I do like fresh bananas, especially the under ripe, slightly green ones. I think it's a texture thing.

Anyway, I came across this recipe for banana bread and thought I'd give it a try. But really only because I had 3 overly ripe (seriously, they were black and wrinkly) bananas sitting in the fruit basket. Usually I make strawberry jello salad , but my husband doesn't like the bananas to be that ripe, so I used some other less brown ones for that.

I was hoping I would like this banana bread and I did! The batter was really light and fluffy and it was whiter than the usual banana bread. I think the lemon juice helped to keep the 'nanas from turning dark. Dawn added chocolate chips and walnuts to the top of her bread, but I decided to add mini chips to the batter. Yum- they taste very much like the oatmeal banana chip cookies I made earlier this year! Go make this, I promise you'll convert if you're an anti-banana bread person like I am. I mean, like I was :-)

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread adapted from Mama Dip’s Kitchen via Vanilla Sugar

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 3 tbsp. sour cream
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or a spoon, cream shortening and sugar together. Beat in eggs one at a time; then mashed bananas, sour cream, and lemon juice.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, then fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes.

NOTE: If your bread is getting too dark, loosely cover bread with foil. I did this for the last 15 minutes of baking time.