Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

My son enjoyed helping me prepare this delicious quick break today.  His job was to mash the bananas and add the chocolate chips.  Of course he helped himself to a few chocolate chips that were supposed to go into the batter, but that's one of the joys of being in the kitchen - sampling!  This banana bread is one of my son's favorites because it contains one of his favorite ingredients - chocolate.  What's not to like?

4 T butter, softened
¾ c sugar
2 large eggs
2 large or 3 small ripe bananas, mashed
2 c flour
2 t baking powder
½ t salt
¼ t baking soda
1 c chocolate chips
1 c chopped walnuts, optional


Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.


Cream sugar, butter, and eggs together until fluffly. Fold in mashed bananas with a spoon. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Add banana mixture, chocolate chips, and walnuts to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan. Serve thick slices with ice cold milk.