I'd Rather be Baking.

Yeah, I know. Not starting out the New Year right by blogging in a timely manner. And recycling photographs! What *am* I thinking?!

Well, I've got knitting and baking on the brain. It's gloomy and rainy out, and I'd rather be doing those activities than...well...many other things!

So, what have I got for you today? The recipe for Banana Bread!

Here it is: Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, as adapted from Cooks Illustrated.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas -- very ripe, mashed well
1/4 cup sour cream (or use plain yogurt)
2 large eggs -- lightly beaten
6 tablespoons butter -- melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup (or more) mini-chocolate chips

Method:
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease the bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside.

Combine first four ingredients and chocolate chips together in large bowl; set aside.

Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with wooden spoon in a medium bowl.

Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky.

Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 1 9-inch loaf, serves 12.

NOTES : Greasing and flouring only the bottom of a regular loaf pan causes the bread to cling to the sides and rise higher. If using a nonstick loaf pan, on which the sides are very slick, grease and flour the sides as well as the bottom.

Now fire up that oven, get mashin' :) and enjoy!